Road to Riverton
Road
to Riverton rainy & rutted
Miles spent passing dulled river
flow
Deep forests denuded
In late November grayness
Hazy morning
shadows touching long ago
Up the creek to Riverton
Bending ’long the Sangamon circle
Plow horse to the wagon
Turning back
from city lights
Bustle in the Capitol
Blanded row by row
Corn
and beans and early nights
And earlier morning chores
Rutted road
to Riverton
Humanity demands a plowhorse
Not that bustle of the
Capitol
Away down, back to Riverton
Away down row by row
Along the
Sangamon’s flow
— Mikel Weisser
Mikel Weisser teaches English in Bullhead City, Ariz.
He spends summers in Springfield and has contributed several prose pieces
to the Illinois Times. He was the first place winner in a Slam Poetry contest
sponsored by Poets & Writers Literary Forum.
People’s Poetry accepts poems on any subject,
but ones that deal with issues of local interest are encouraged. Send yours
to Corrine Frisch c/o Illinois Times, P.O. Box 5256, Springfield, IL 62705, or to cfrisch@illinoistimes.com with “People’s Poetry” in the
subject line.
This article appears in Sep 1-7, 2005.
