Amanda Smith – 1846-1939

the state of Florida was one year old when I came in
I was born with a caul
make of that what you will
the midwife removed it with a sheet of paper
I was only told this years later
but it would explain the tingling of second sight
that blessed and cursed me through this life

childhood was spent hauling in nets
with whatever we could catch
chasing off crows and
hoeing a quarter acre of kitchen garden
while my brothers John, William, and Thomas
followed tired jennies plowing
land for corn and tobacco, pruning orange trees
where the Suwanee meets the Gulf

practically an old maid, married at fourteen
Henry Edward Smith was an Episcopalian minister
twenty-six and lame after being thrown from a horse
his first wife died giving birth and
left behind three surviving children
soon I had two of my own
every day was a blessing, but
we are taught to earn that blessing

surrounded by swampy land and struggling plantations
we maintained our small patch of Eden
two years into the war our fields became pastures
we helped feed the Confederacy’s need for beef
Henry heeded the call, and off he went
lame leg and all, Christian and opposed
to the institution of slavery, but hating
the federal government just as much
for unfair taxation
it was the typhoid that took him
I never saw him again and refused offers
to remarry and give up what little I had

carpetbaggers found small opportunities
later the railroads came and changed lives
pinching pennies and gathering the law on my side
I bought and added land to my holdings
raised more cattle and expanded the tobacco fields
fast-talking speculators learned to stay away
my partners were iron and lead
and they called me Shotgun Smith
add in a woman’s second sight
and you have a potent mix for success

there followed the accumulation of more land
business dealings both good and bad
sons and daughters took over the day-to-day
I gained a reputation as a seer and revelator
enjoyed good food, whiskey, and tobacco,
found men generally a hindrance
wove my way through society’s changes
automobiles and tractors
lightbulbs, gigot sleeves, and lending libraries
newspapers, iceboxes, and radios

white women in Florida gained the vote, and
the great depression and unasked for hurricanes
forced us back to self-dependance, even as
invading fruit flies decimated the citrus

as the world picked up speed
I settled into a rocking chair with
a mug of coffee, two spoonfuls of sugar
a view of the world from a front porch
where a few visitors still came to be told
what was yet to come

my predictions now limited to weather, crops
health, and economics
the electrification of Suwannee proceeded apace
without me
and that was fine and proper
because questions came crowding in
about life, love, and friendship
about what makes people tick
and especially what happens
after death
even with second sight
that veil cannot be parted

I look back and wonder
did I live a good life?
can you answer that?

[RK, 6/29/23]