Their Father’s Medication–“The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers”
Their father’s voice resounded not as pure
As Wilma’s in “The Holy City”–yet
As utter in his recitation, cure
For evils all around, a voice to whet
Our minds with utterness the colors of
Foundations of Jerusalem come
Down and settled like a final love
In suntanned hearts of boys struck cleanly dumb
With words of white waves flowing from his throat.
Of course they were not true, but boys did not
Assess them, only let them seize their ribs and float
Ideals, hygienic, purging every blot.
The world of vileness compassed each of them
But father’s mantra healed like Christ’s touched hem.
~ Phillip Whidden