Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
Michael McMahonSeptember 22, 2008

With sleep in her eyes she parts the curtain,
sees the black van and three strange men.


Standing on tiptoe in woolen pajamas
she raps at the window, sees him drive off
with three strange men.

They’ve come to the farm in a dusty van,
found him at work on the fence out back,
sat him between them and drove the lane
scattering stones and dirt.

In blue pajamas with padded feet
she runs to the phone and tells the “O”
Papá’s been taken away in a van
from where she lives with the broken chair
and chicks in the yard and he fell down
running away from three strange men.

All alone in a quiet house she holds
on tight to a blanket end
to keep her safe from the raging wind
and the angry shouts of three strange men.

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.

The latest from america

Regardless of what one thinks of the advisability of a pope known for his off-the-cuff remarks partaking in long interviews, the fact remains that Pope Francis is more willing than both candidates to sit down one-on-one in front of a camera.
James T. KeaneApril 29, 2024
Largely missing during October synod meetings, over 200 parish priests gather outside Rome for meetings
Eliminating a seminary diaconate is not only possible but necessary for envisioning a mature and fully formed diaconate for the future.
William T. DitewigApril 29, 2024
During his visit to Venice, Pope Francis encouraged young people to embrace their worth, urging care for one another's vulnerabilities and emphasizing the importance of remaining connected to God to bear fruits of justice, peace, and solidarity.