Portside

here where it is said "get out of my country"
winter falls on almond trees
naked in the almost sunny days of late November
their yellow lancets still cover the ground

"we don't need you anymore" say the townsfolk
the almonds have fallen and been collected
the husks have been mixed into cow fodder
the men have been paid and the harvest is over

one would say it's quiet in this country
the priest's Sunday homily spoke of thanks for the bounty
on the other side of town he delivered it to the workers in Spanish
but the church doors burst open

the wind moved up the nave to blow out candles
parishioners pulled at their jackets and scarves
there was still communion and the shaking of hands
and the wishing of peace on their brethren

yet the image of plenty wearing its bows and smiles
cracked like an almond bough
no longer to see its delicate white flowers

Nels Goñi Christianson is a native of rural Merced County from which he draws much inspiration for his poetry. He was a board member of CalPoets from 2009-2023. A few years ago, he co-coordinated a 2-year poetry composition program which was a CalPoets/Beyond Baroque collaboration in Venice, California.