MALAGA MAID

~ Stephen Barile ~

The Southern Pacific Railroad built a depot
in the weary hamlet of Malaga,

Eight minutes south of Fresno by rail.
Train depot, post office,

general-store, dirt streets, tiny houses
and 125 residents.

Old Pedro opened the shop at 5:30, fired up
the gas jet to start work promptly

at 6:30 every morning six-days-a-week,
the Toledo No. 666 5-ton drop-forge

at Cartwright’s Blacksmith Shop
pounded molten steel in rapid succession,

red-hot carbon steel coil springs
from the auto wrecking-yards,

gas-fired, in a bellowed-forge
burning 2246 degrees,

edging and fullering the blades
for Malaga Maid bypass pruning shears.

The entire village was shaken from sleep,
the new day had begun.

Barile’s poem is so evocative. I can feel the train, shaking everyone awake.

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