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.