Richest Vein in the Nancy Hanks

Garnet, Montana, 21 August 2006

The richest vein in the Nancy Hanks

Terminated without premonition

Ended the budding desolation of hope

Sounded the knell of vanishing fortune

Hard rock miners endured another 20 years

'Til false promises drained like quicksilver

When fine dust blanketed the bunchgrass

The last stage left the mountain

Granny still sorted the remaining post

All postmarked from nicer places

Forwarded them or marked Return to Sender

Years after anyone came for it

Each breath contracts her crooked spine

She says, "T'was an old Chinaman...

with a long braid… worked at the hotel

Gave me my first firecrackers...

Still have 'em…downstairs…in a trunk."

Her breathing is an unnatural contest

I will her to seize up as I turn to leave

So I can rifle through her belongings

Touch off those virgin firecrackers

On the off chance they'll still explode