Above the River

i believe we're all breakable

old bridges       black paint &

rust       hiding behind dirt

roads       boarded up

unraveled       with longing

       looking down on some crazy

river wild       &       driven       so

when you brush

past me       & honor my

shoulder with your small gift

of a hand       because you just

can't not       all the sins of all

the people who never touched me

right       seem forgiven

© 2005 Jim Bell from "Crossing the Bar" (Slate Roof: A Publishing Collective, Northfield)

Jim Bell is a track and field coach. Poems and pole vaulting are his passions. He lives in Bernardston.

"Hear a Poet, There a Poet" features poetry by local authors chosen by Northampton's Poet Laureate Lesléa Newman. It runs on Wednesday's book page every other week. Poems for this column have been pre-selected. Please do not send poetry submissions or requests to the Gazette.