Farewell to Romney

.

U.S. 50 leading west out of Romney, West Virginia: photo by John Vachon, 1942 (Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Collection, Library of Congress)

When the interloper ambled
importunately across
the path of the religious parade
in downtown Romney West
Virgin-i-ay
heads turned
and there were hard looks
a cold mean January day
stern serious faces fixed
toward the future's
thin ray of promise
for everyone
of more of the same

Religious parade, Romney, West Virginia: photo by Arthur Rothstein, January 1939

 

 

Religious parade, Romney, West Virginia: photo by Arthur Rothstein, January 1939

Main street, Romney, West Virginia: photo by Arthur Rothstein, January 1939

Religious parade, Romney, West Virginia: photo by Arthur Rothstein, January 1939

Religious parade, Romney, West Virginia: photo by Arthur Rothstein, January 1939

Indian Mound Cemetery at edge of Romney, West Virginia: photo by John Vachon, 1942

Photos from Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Collection, Library of Congress

This post for the poet Ed Sanders: "Would somebody please tell me what the fuck is going on?" (August 2012)