Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE WATER FINDER, by GLENN WARD DRESBACH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WATER FINDER, by                    
First Line: They heard him shuffling through the maple leaves
Last Line: The farmer chuckled as he got his jug.
Subject(s): Water Finders


THEY heard him shuffling through the maple leaves
Along the lane. He seemed to make more noise
Than necessary just to let them know
That he was coming.
"Cider time again!"
The farmer chuckled to his wife who stood
Beside him in the yard. "He always comes
When cider starts to wink."
The woman said,
"The poor old thing is lonesome and he thinks
That we are good to him. Just let him talk."
"And drink our cider!"
"Well, last year you know
He told us how to save our apple trees
That had been blighted."
"But it didn't work."
"He took all day to tell us in between
His tales of Gettysburg."
"That's where he fell
In battle with a wound—and here he fell
To sleep from too much cider."
"Well, there's hay
For him to sleep on and the barn is warm."

They turned to look at him as he came up. ...
"Well! Howdy, folks! It's good to see you here
Together in the yard. The air's so fine.
I wondered as I came along the lane
What you were doing out here in the yard.
I thought I'll bet they need another well
The farm is growing so."
"Now that beats all,"
The woman said, "That's just the very thing
That we were thinking of. We need a well
And don't know where to start in digging for it."
The farmer said, "This forked stick that I hold
Gave us away."
"Well, well, I didn't see

That stick till now," the old man chuckled then.
"Let's have the stick. ... Now this will never do.
You need young apple branch with juice enough
Beneath the bark to let it twist just so
When you get over water, two forks down
And one that's longer to be held like this.
Now, I'm a water finder. I've found wells
For people ever since I was a boy.
It's just a natural gift some people get.
Just let me show you, and you'll have a well."
He blustered off into the orchard then.
They saw him like a dusty sparrow staring
With head on one side under apple boughs.

"More monkey business to deserve a drink
Of cider," grinned the farmer.
"Let him try.
I've heard of water finders ever since
I was a girl—some people think it's true."
"Well, it won't hurt us any. If he marks
A place it may be good as any other.
This land is full of hidden springs."
"That place
Between the trees there would be fine to have
A well in," said the woman, wrapping hands
Up in her apron, chilled from standing long.

"That does look like a good place." He'd come back
And held an apple stick like he'd described.
The farmer said, "I think a better place
Is there between the woodshed and the gate."
His wife looked at him quickly.
"Well, we'll try,
The old man answered with important air.
He tried the ground between the trees.
"See here,"
He called, "the branch is twisting in my hands.
There's water here. I'll mark the place it seems
To be the strongest."
And the farmer winked.
He said, "Now try this place that I picked out
Between the woodshed and the gate."
His wife
Gave a him a side-glance that said more than words.

The old man much intent on business now
Went to the place without a word and held
The forked branch out before him as he walked. ...
"I do declare," he said, "it's twisting here.
Almost as good as there between the trees!
You'll have a well in either place. The one
That you decide on will be good enough."
He held the branched stick out to them, "Look here
How juice is twisted out along the bark.
I had to hold it tight."
The farmer said,
"Would holding it so tight squeeze out the juice?"

"No," said the old man soberly, "that comes
From force of water twisting at the branch
While it is held—just like 'lectricity
Pulling at something. It is hard to say."
"You must be getting chilled," the woman said,
"Come in the house while I get dinner on."

"Yes, water finding's hard. It takes the snap
Right out of me. I have to be so tense
To do it right. Just watching every second —
It's mighty hard—but you will have your well."
The woman went before them. As she turned
Into the kitchen she had heard him say,
"A little cider now would be just right."

The farmer chuckled as he got his jug.





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