If Joseph Smith Had Been Born in California

The angel met him once every four years  
in what is now the Ina Coolbrith Park. 
The first time digging them up took longer 
than the angel had anticipated. 
José did not have to dig deeper, no, 
but broader, much broader. The plates had moved. 
They found the stone box a full four vara 
north of where he had left it. And the box 
had split, the rocks crumbled into gravel. 
The sword of Laban, ruined, as were the 
Urim and Thummim. The plates themselves were 
folded like a paperback in the rain.