from 'These Fair Days'




Weather Appropriate

 

On Thin Ice

 

I come in from cuttin’ ice on the bulls' pond 

wet from boots to hat 

shakin’ like an aspen in the breeze.

 

Colt’s takes one look at me

and says what the hell happened to you?

I say what the hell do you think happened to me?

 

I broke through the damn ice 

cuttin’ the damn water for the damn bulls 

and I say it just like that and I say don’t you say nothin’ on it 

 

and he don’t say nothin’ on account of he’s laughin’ too damn hard. 

I reckon I can see the humor in it 

but I reckon it won’t be so damn funny

 

when I have to tell Mr Stricker that his double-bladed axe 

is lyin’ on the bottom of the damn pond.

 

 

 

 





Poetry by jim The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 223 times
Written on 2019-01-30 at 14:52

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Wonderful poem, tonally ... the idiom reminds me of someone like Hayden Carruth, capturing Vermont folks ...
2019-01-31


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
It was -12 here this morning, but I'm laughing. I hope that you've got a good fire going.
2019-01-31


josephus The PoetBay support member heart!
Went through the ice on a creek once a bit far from home and had to walk back. Not fun. Your fine narrative brought me right back there BRRRRR!
2019-01-30


josephus The PoetBay support member heart!
Went through the ice on a creek once a bit far from home and had to walk back. Not fun. Your fine narrative brought me right back there BRRRRR!
2019-01-30



Ooh noo! Ooh noo! :>o

Coo alarums, with regard to the dropped double-bladed axe. We enjoyed reading this, jim, for the title, the sense of place, and the characterisation :>)
2019-01-30



Ooh, he's gonna be mad alright. To lose a well trusted, well needed favourite is going to take years for him to forgive. Every time he looks on the workshop wall and sees the space where it used to hang, your name is gonna be cursed.
2019-01-30