It's 11.9 miles to Mardela Springs.

    The public school's a left away from

    the town which is too small to be called

    a town.

    Past the school and heading

    south is a road which

    immediately kisses country，

    a large pond there

    with a house

    beside it.

    The shadows

    in the fall morning

    make a wind beside the house.

    The students are tired.

    It's Monday. It doesn't seem

    to matter what day， most of the time

    they're tired.

    In the early fall dark

    the road whispers to the pond.

    "Amends¹." School is out， no one hears. In 216

    the janitor² replaces a fluorescent³ light.

    He drops a screw from ten steps up.

    The school is so quiet it hears the drop.

    The school and the road begin their talk.

    Soon the pond joins in.

    "Amends."