saskatchewan 1923standing there against the grey wall,
one would never guess that she will
commit the ultimate act of immorality
commit an enormous act of bravery
and to this day, they do not know why
she is with her husband, three children,
a small dog named Butch
they are not smiling but this is no clue
nobody smiles in pictures back then
it's 1921 Saskatchewan and in two flat years she will do it
while pregnant with a fourth child, she will get up one spring morning,
make sure the children are safe,
pick a favorite plate down off the shelf,
collect some old letters,
then leave
she goes into town, gets on a train heading in some direction,
and never returns
it's sixteen years until World War Two
easy to disappear
the world is still innocent and large
did she look back at the farm gate?
hesitate in her loose-fitting dress?
did she pause for a second or two?
firm up her resolve?
only Butch, who is tied up out at the front,
knows for sure
and even under persistant police questioning
he doesn't say a word© Thomas Trofimuk