A day to reach the store

A day to reach the store

I am not from these parts,
I have walked a long way
and I have a river to cross.
I walk along its bank.

A little fellow-traveller joins me
and knows a little bit of my language
and I know a little bit of his
and we have no water.

The is a river to cross
and a long way to go to the store,
before sunset.

He says he goes to school
where he learnt his English,
but he goes there only sometimes,
because he must go to the store
or else pick the potatoes.

He says they speak of big things
in the newspapers,
and I smile and nod sadly;
he does not buy the paper
and can't read too well.

And so we go to the store
by way of the man in the boat
who takes us across theriver,
and wish each other well at the store
and go our own ways
at sunset.