River 4

the ice on the river has cracked and floe'ed. scatter the earth. prepare the seed. dig deep. you are the plough horse. winter has rusted your flanks. winter has clanged cold the iron bit, the halter, the cultivator, the hoe. the hay had begun to mould anyway. you shake out into the prairie sun. spring's reins release you from cold quarters. to the field. to the wide open fields. "hey up," your master says. you part the old earth. there are buds now. in the willow trees.

River 3

they broke the earth, spring in, spring out. tall those blonde Swedish men. big hands they worked the land. teamed horses. teamed together. plough and Percheron. scattered the wheat seed. seed cleaned by hand, sowed by hand. broke the bread of that northern land. the north Saskatchewan. the Battle River. sweet waters. sweet grass.