The Stranger

the dinner bell is ringing, the farmers stops his brown backed beast,

the ladies cook, the children play, the neighbors join the Sunday feast.

the pie is cooling on the window ledge, the crow gives it the eye,

but Skip the dog is standing guard, he dares it to fly by.

the horses in their stable, stand for hours in one place,

awaiting for a rider, so in the field they soon may race.

the fox is waiting calmly, for the darkness to come soon,

to breach the shoddy hen house, while the folks sing ‘neath the moon.

a rider is approaching, he dismounts his white stallion,

no one understands a word, he’s speaking pure Italian.

he points in one direction, where the winding river lies,

he motions with his hands, that rise above his closing eyes.

someone screams inside the house, not a word is spoken,

as the TV news reporter shouts, "the county dam has broken".

all are scrambling to release, the horses, chickens, and the duck,

"grab the dog and pack the kids", the farmer cries and hops the truck.

"got to get high on the hill, before the sunset comes",

grandma tries to hide her fear, the diesel engine hums.

the stranger watching rides ahead, to show a shorter way,

to reach the place of higher ground, as grandma starts to pray.

"dear lord don’t look away, save us from this, the devil’s deed,

take us in your hands, and let us follow where you lead".

soon the journey ends, high above the flooded plains,

the stranger rides away, heading East while no one claims,

to know how to say thanks, in words he truly understands,

but in the end he’s what we all, should be throughout these lands.

help each other, lend a hand, share your heart and time,

to pick each other up, when life seems dark and doesn’t rhyme.