#8 “Rise”
He came in ought six, the first but following, hitched on creaking
oxcarts. Sent from the Red River, north to the Battlefords. West
on foot across the Battle and out past Sweetgrass farther west.
And found land hard up against the south side of Poundmaker.
Followed by Père et Fils, trailing wives and issues. They marked
the land to the depth of a plow and raised an almighty dust.
Caking their skin and gritting their teeth. And now they remain
six feet under that land or are gone, blown over the endless
horizon on those clouds of dust, in a thirty seven Ford flathead
six.
