dogtrax

Face, hidden behind a long line of bamboo shoots; eyes watch with wonder

Mill River Flood (Williamsburg)

Vats of dye lie in the river’s wake, colors mixed with wool, and rock rubble, like an eye of a bent needle

Reference: The Mill River Flood of May 1874, in Williamsburg, Leeds Massachusetts

#MillRiverFlood

Sing, cicada, sing! Sing for days lost while you slept Sing for moments, left

Mill River Flood (Williamsburg)

The village doctor was last seen with two children in his arms, his wife with the other, by his side, and then he was gone, and they were, too

Reference: The Mill River Flood of May 1874, in Williamsburg, Leeds Massachusetts

#MillRiverFlood

Somewhere, a god plays thunder on their drums, pounding the sky into song

Nodding off, asleep in the shade of a pine tree, rooted by river

Mill River Flood (Williamsburg)

Ten year old George, sat down to breakfast, then lost his entire family as the water washed through, and who knows if it was luck or grace, or just the opposite, that kept that boy alive

Reference: The Mill River Flood of May 1874, in Williamsburg, Leeds Massachusetts

#MillRiverFlood

A torrent of words spilling over the white page, a poem taking shape

Clouds, as a cover for flowers about to sprout - we wait the sun out

for Algot

Mill River Flood (Williamsburg)

Four days later, the inquest begins with the body of John Atkinson

but it was the dam itself the inquest jury was looking into, probing with critical eyes, and looking for blame

Reference: The Mill River Flood of May 1874, in Williamsburg, Leeds Massachusetts

#MillRiverFlood