William Lantry

AGAINST WHITMAN

I'm out here a thousand miles from my home,
walking a road other men have gone down.
--Guthrie

You know, I've been
walking down
this road a long
time now, and I really
can't say I appreciate
the way the rain, blown
by a savage wind,
keeps getting underneath
my coat

nor was I enamored of those
boys pelting me with 
rocks, especially not
that strong-armed redhead
in overalls
to say nothing
of that young woman
who, when I smiled as
I wandered by her fence
flung those pork guts
at my face.  Too bad
her aim was so good.

So when I found
a live oak growing, I 
broke off a branch
the size of a club
in case that redhead
returned
but it did no good against
that farmer's shotgun
who blasted until he clipped
my beard and pulled the other
one, reaching my feet.

You know, I've been limping 
down this road along
time now, and
I think that Walt
was either crazy,
a masochist,
or a liar.

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