Monday, November 13, 2017

TREASURE ~








One Word





Finally a blue sky day

And you do the wash!

Then you go and hang everything

Out on the line, a place reached

Through two feet of snow, rotten

Ice and a pathway I shoveled



Colorful wash all day

Blowing in the wind



At dusk you go pick

Dry clothes off a rope —

For a moment your billowy

Red skirt, violet sweater

Bright long hair blowing

In the same breeze



I come to help as

You hold one garment up to

Your face breathing in the

Fresh wash and all you

Say with a smile is


“Woodsmoke”






That’s Her




doing farm chores, lugging

water she hikes through a field

of wet grasses in high boots

old pants & cap, a red tee

shirt she slept in & much

earlier in bed I raised this

& kissed her kissed her






Treasure





it’s snow

falling



into her

hair



pail of 

grain



pinning

onto a



heavy

wool



shirt

walking



back from

the hen



house

eggs



inside her

mittens






Egg






Morning light of falling snow

We went outside and did our work

Shoveled out dog huts

Opened a trail to the chicken shed

Busted ice from water buckets



I was sweeping off long metal sheets

Over the woodpile when you said

see how this feels — and in your

Gloved hand you held the flesh of

A warm egg to my icy cheek



————————————

BOB ARNOLD
I'm In Love With You
Who Is In Love With Me
Longhouse 2012