“Did They”
by Esther Freeman
Tacoma, WA
When walking through the desert
were they thirsty for some water?
Did they balk at the lizards,
did they walk on ahead?
When crossing the mountains,
were they battered by the winds?
Did they stagger from fatigue,
did they wager the next ford?
When looking at horizons,
were they haunted by the bareness?
Did they feed on the berries,
did they read to their children?
When walking through the sands,
were they bitten by the ants?
Did they scratch from tumble weeds,
did they patch all their pants?
When they walked through the meadows,
were there flowers still blooming?
Did they pick them for their mothers,
did then nick their brown skin?
When they rose in the morning,
were the birds already singing?
Did they hear the meadow lark,
did they spear fish in the creeks?
When they walked to Oregon,
were they wising for Illinois?
Did they regret leaving home behind,
did they fret what lay before–did they?
