II. CEMETERY OF THE UNION BENEVOLENT SOCIETY Poem by Togara Muzanenhamo

1955
Tangled vines breathe over cooling backs of stone,
sun-veined nut sedge bound tight over dates eroded by time.
The earth rests wired and neglected. Another summer comes to pass.
The dead lie without names here, the link of age rusted with ankle chains
running quiet into a fog of clouded musket fire.
The railroad sings loud over junkyard metal twisted by sunlight.
Beyond a trodden fence, Lexington sits forged by southern prayer -
Baptist words rising from the heart,
burdened songs sung
for the leaden-paced march into each quick-silvered twilight
reined by the whip's black hymn,
songs sung by those
who'd walked the dark
roads only to learn
to run, then ride alone.