Burying Chernobyl

Burying Chernobyl

                                                                                     she stayed.
                                  They turned over the houses
around her.
deep tracks
                                  into the earth
                                                                                     she planted
                                  her husband
                                  her baby.
                                                                                     she shoveled
the rows of potatoes.
                                  she found each one.
                                  they were all she had.
the Boots tamped
the mounds she had made.

                                  in front of Them
                                  she talked to the hens
                                                                                     she gathered.

                                  your eggs,

                                  They said

                                  bury them.