The Poetry Of.
Nathan A. Baker...........................
Victory Garden
He's plowed up the north forty
And planted a Victory garden
Spent most his life serving others
Now he's farming for himself
Sowing seeds of corn, pole beans
Cultivating carefully every row
He'll reap a bountiful harvest
Weeding and praying as he goes
Warriors and misplaced farmers
Plowing, sowing, reaping, gone
Know well their earthly missions
The sacrifices made for home
Day to day toil and labor
Out of love fields are grown
Victory garden Liberty's prize
Dreams and visions realized
He's plowed up the north forty
And planted a Victory garden
Fractured Vessels
She opted for the tall dark stranger
Got pregnant within a month
He turned out to be an ex con
Released from Leavenworth Prison
On parole; a murder conviction
Or some resemblance thereof
She never saw the documents
Only heard the family stories
He was a scary somebody
Always pushing the envelope
Going for the extreme
Taking everything to the edge
He beat her without mercy
Fists to the face and chest
Knocked down and kicked
Bruised flesh, broken bones
Rage hit every single piece
Of furniture with an ax
Most things were destroyed
Beyond human repair
She still bears the marks
Of that struggle, he tried to fix
The wreckage but there was no
Repairing damage done
Fractured vessels sometimes
Require centuries before breaking
Apart and totally collapsing
It's only been fifty years
North Shore
Across the river
In what used to be
Called Hill City,
A long neglected
And ignored
Section of town,
Urban expansion rules:
Bistros, coffee houses
And green grocery stores
Dot the avenue.
Specialty shops,
Catering to rich retirees
Seeking more value
For their retirement dollar
Compete for space with
Upscale townhouses
And lavish condos.
New buildings loom
Over once barren landscape like
Monolithic idols to materialism
Poverty has even moved
Into a brand new dumpster
Behind the Super Center
Build it and they will come...
