[Tim Murphy]

No Alex, the situs is before the Front Range of the Rockies, and ranchers distrustful of the Federal Reserve, the IRS, really do use gold coin as a repository for wealth. Time has proved their wisdom. The poem is actually the third section of a fairly major poem called The West.

Julie, I don't see any sexual innuendo in God calling Mary his bride.

[Alex Pepple]

Interesting explanation, Tim. Indeed, my first hunch was that you'd written it, but then dismissed that with the Kruggerand thingy. Kruggerand is so predominantly associated with the South African monetary system that I'm sure I won't be the only reader it will throw off ... except for those with special knowledge about the industry in question. If you don't want that reading, that word may not belong in the poem as some other commenters have hinted.

Cheers,
...Alex

[Tim Murphy]

Actually, Alex, this is not a stand-alone, but the third section of The West, so in context the location is not in doubt. The Kruggerand dominates the gold coin hoardings of the world, little surprise considering South Africa's production and the fact that the coin has been around so much longer than the American Eagle. I have put the reader at a disadvantage by quoting only the poem's conclusion, but I wanted to submit something not workshopped here; and I am gratified that many found kind things to say about it.

[Bruce McBirney]

Tim, I was interested to hear this is the conclusion of a longer poem. The last five words as posted had thrown me a little, since they refer to this being a moment of deep personal crisis for the narrator (even beyond the drought and economic hardships described), which I hadn't caught from the prior lines.

Is it possible now to post the first two sections along with this third one, to give the context of the ending, or is that a problem for future publication plans?

Best wishes.