Driving home from the gas station in face mask and non-latex gloves (or the governor recommends) Westmore, Northeast Kingdom, VT, 20 miles from the Canadian Border
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Title
Driving home from the gas station in face mask and non-latex gloves (or the governor recommends) Westmore, Northeast Kingdom, VT, 20 miles from the Canadian Border
Creator
Joanne Giannino
Date
May 2, 2020
Contributor
Joanne Giannino
Spatial Coverage
Text
Driving home from the gas station in face mask and non-latex gloves
(or the governor recommends)
Westmore, Northeast Kingdom, VT, 20 miles from the Canadian Border
May 2, 2020
Off route 5A
urban hikers step out of their cars
in threes and fours
fancy treads, walking sticks,
backpacks, water bottles, protein bars
geared up to start their treks
toward Mount Pisgah’s southern trails
A whisper emerges: hey!
the signs say do not hike yet.
Louder now with effort: hey!
the signs say Trails Closed.
Too much snow
and with warmer temps today,
mud.
Trails at risk.
Respect the trails.
But no one speaks.
No one hears.
No one listens.
I continue to drive north
scan license plates:
New Jersey, New York
Massachusetts
Another whisper emerges: hey!
the signs say stay home
Louder now with effort: hey!
The signs say town closed!
People are at risk.
Respect the people.
Westmore, population 302
at the heart of Willoughby lake
ponds, pools, brooks and streams
known only to locals
I tell myself I’m overreacting but
my reptilian mind can’t help itself:
they are going to kill us all,
it shouts!
But no one speaks.
No one hears.
No one listens.
(or the governor recommends)
Westmore, Northeast Kingdom, VT, 20 miles from the Canadian Border
May 2, 2020
Off route 5A
urban hikers step out of their cars
in threes and fours
fancy treads, walking sticks,
backpacks, water bottles, protein bars
geared up to start their treks
toward Mount Pisgah’s southern trails
A whisper emerges: hey!
the signs say do not hike yet.
Louder now with effort: hey!
the signs say Trails Closed.
Too much snow
and with warmer temps today,
mud.
Trails at risk.
Respect the trails.
But no one speaks.
No one hears.
No one listens.
I continue to drive north
scan license plates:
New Jersey, New York
Massachusetts
Another whisper emerges: hey!
the signs say stay home
Louder now with effort: hey!
The signs say town closed!
People are at risk.
Respect the people.
Westmore, population 302
at the heart of Willoughby lake
ponds, pools, brooks and streams
known only to locals
I tell myself I’m overreacting but
my reptilian mind can’t help itself:
they are going to kill us all,
it shouts!
But no one speaks.
No one hears.
No one listens.
Collection
Citation
Joanne Giannino, “Driving home from the gas station in face mask and non-latex gloves (or the governor recommends) Westmore, Northeast Kingdom, VT, 20 miles from the Canadian Border,” COVID-19 Archive, accessed December 26, 2024, https://covid-19.digitalvermont.org/items/show/865.