Every sunrise but Sabbath,

the faithful stationed along the route

anticipated my arrival like a prophecy

the coming of the promised one

and house by house by ones and twos

the pre-leashlaw pinscher and pointer,

the beagle, boxer, and bassett …

and Judas, the Jack Russell doubting terrier

joined me, casting aside their nets

casting their lots instead with me

their Dover-Foxcroft Jesus du jour

swaddled in newspaper delivery-sack cloth …

wagging their windshield-wiper tails

watering telephone poles

righteously sniffing butts

helping lawns to be fertile and prosper

missionaries of the word-

my dozen disciples

delivering the Good (Bangor Daily) News …

barking their happy hosannahs

Tom Lyford is a retired English teacher and lifelong resident of Dover-Foxcroft. He is sponsoring the second annual National Poetry Month poetry contest at Foxcroft Academy, and will be giving one of his popular readings at Rumford Public Library on April 27. His latest chapbooks are “Americana” and “On Becoming a Man of Substance.”