A man roams the streets with a basket br of freestone peaches hollering, "Peaches, br peaches, yellow freestone peaches for sale." br br My grandfather in his prime could outshout br the Tigers of Wrath or the factory whistles br along the river. Hamtramck hungered br br for yellow freestone peaches, downriver br wakened from a dream of work, Zug Island danced br into the bright day glad to be alive. br br Full-figured women in their negligees br streamed into the streets from the dark doorways br to demand in Polish or Armenian br br the ripened offerings of this new world. br Josef Prisckulnick out of Dubrovitsa br to Detroit by way of Ellis Island br br raised himself regally to his full height br of five feet two and transacted until br the fruit was gone into those eager hands. br br Thus would there be a letter sent across br an ocean and a continent, and thus br would Sadie waken to the news of wealth br br without limit in the bright and distant land, br and thus bags were packed and she set sail br for America. Some of this is true. br br The women were gaunt. All day the kids dug br in the back lots searching for anything. br The place was Russia with another name. br br Joe was five feet two. Dubrovitsa burned br to gray ashes the west wind carried off, br then Rovno went, then the Dnieper turned to dust. br br We sat around the table telling lies br while the late light filled an empty glass. br Bread, onions, the smell of burning butter, br br small white potatoes we shared with no one br because the hour was wrong, the guest was late, br and this was Michigan in 1928.