Larry bennett
VISIONS ALONG THE RIVER
The old Ford creaked to a halt
The dust whirlies settled slowly back
On the sun baked gravel road
Our shoes exploded little puffs of powder
As my Father and I crossed to the bank
Feel the soft shade of poplars - cool
Batoche
The vista
Green – cool – muddy
The Saskatchewan
Sweet smell of willows
Magpies swoop with weird calls
Overgrown rifle pits
Such a day
That spring
Cree – Metis - Dakota
Louis Reil – Dumont
Steamer Northcote – Gatling
Middleton
Painful hearts – Red Coats– confusion
Facing the many barreled serpent
Running – stumbling- rolling
Shame – pride
Ghosts
We dig for arrowheads – spent shells
I kick at a brown root
Not a root
We unearth a - rusted Winchester
Father – wide eyed – hands shaking
Nine year old boy – hot – tired - bored
Best case – a piece of flint
A complete rifle
A miraculous find
Larry bennett
