"Atlantis" by Linda Carmel
At Liberty School
Girl in the front row who had no mother
and went home early every day to get
supper, the class became silent
when you left early.
Elaborate histories were in our book
but of all the races,
you were the good; the taxes of Rome
were at your feet.
When the bell rang we did not write
any more. Traitor to everything else,
we poured to the fountain. I bent
and thought of you.
Our town now is Atlantis,
crystal-water-bound; at the door
of the schoolhouse fish are swimming
round; thinking in and out of the
church tower go deep water.
Girl in the front row who had no mother,
as I passed the alleys of our town
toward supper, there were no
spiteful nails in any board.
William Stafford
Posted over on William Stafford Archives
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