byRobert J. Conley
- at the ancient indian burial grounds
ghoulish would-be archaeologists
from nearby university dig
for artifacts - - and bones.
(label a people "primitive"
and it's legal to rob their graves.)
but when the sun goes down
a slight, grey-haired old man slips out
(has indian blood in his veins)
& darkly makes his nightly rounds
moves their markers, re-ties strings
and puts dirt back in the holes they dug.
it doesn't stop them,
but it slows them down.
From 21 Poems, Aux Arcs Press.