[Critique Group 1] Submission for March 1 session

[Marilyn Smith]

Crossings
by Marilyn Brandt Smith

January 1968
"Draft dodger! Coward!"
Cat calls, reprisals;
Lady Liberty, where are you?
He wants to come home.

February 1851
Run, pray, hide her son,
Eliza finds the river;
The ice is thin and patchy,
Hope leads her across.

March 1853
The potato famine made them leave;
When will land be sighted?
The lady with a torch in hand?
Will this be their new home?

April 1912
The richest, roomiest ship of all?
Why are they in the water?
Where is her happy ever after?
She cries out his name!

May 1970
Rosa can swim the Rio Grande,
But what about the children?
Juan will tie them in a tube,
That's the only way.

June 2005
She dreams her fiftieth birthday bash
At a luau with a Mai Tai;
He brought brochures from a cruise line,
Should she buy seasick pills?

July 1847
The current took their wagon under,
She lost her mama's china;
He tries to dry her tears away,
She begs to go back home.

August 1990
Big bass boat, ready for the lake,
Kids are out of school;
Single mom, romance in tow,
They chase her with the worms.

September 1782
Strong hands built her birch canoe,
She leaves a gentle wake;
Plants the medicine man will need
Grow on the other bank.

October 2003
He's in the Persian Gulf,
His submarine is hiding;
In a chilled crystal cup of comfort
She hides her premonition.

November 1919
The shortcut takes the kids to school,
The swinging bridge is sagging;
Papa needs to fix it soon;
David carries Sissy across.

December 1944
He's in the pacific,
Guam? The Philippines?
When the moon is right they find their star,
Reach and whisper there.