Thursday, August 3, 2017

THE GHOSTLY SENTINEL



In those far Southern Parts
      down towards
           Cancer, when you're
headed for Capricorn

the people are a bit strange
        (and gossipy...and love
to talk at hardware stores, and
              church picnics)
and there seems to be 
                     richly abounding
in those humid parts:
                "Lore Galore"

and Old Wives' Tales...
     especially after a glass of
that Southern Nectar, 
        so favored by the wimmin'

O, their yarns and best story 
        always seems to be
    about the mythical, ghostly,
retired scientist, who loved
       gardens, peach trees, 
and all things green...

He knew his stuff and his 
                 invented
        Bug Juices had about
   eradicated all the 
insects within a mile of his
          beloved acres...

They say, these wimmin'---
     that this rakish, sort of
   handsome and graceful
old timer...

is so protective of his plants
       and gardens and herbs
and  fruit trees...

that he walks his grounds 
     all night long, almost

and the story is that he may 
      curl up in that mysterious
                Red Barn 
(into which no mortal has ever
       ventured)
and grab a few winks.

They wind up their stories at 
    these social events, saying:
"He keeps the coons and the 
       feral dogs and the wild
pigs offen his little farm,

and if you get up real early 
   with the sun and peek over 
              the fence
you MAY see him.
          patrolling his rows,
and somehow looking 
         ghostly.

Oh yes, tales abound down
       toward Capricorn....

and who knows if they're 
              True
or not.
******************
MIL
21JULY 17

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