Summer Day

by Bill Derry

cinder-lilac                                              loading unloading
watercolor sky                                        methodical movement
gibbous moon                                         shoveling, raking
streaking clouds                                      bent, focused
                                                             free of time
arthritic unfolding                                    the physicality
from the truck                                         of the task
up the short hill                                       simultaneously
behind the shed                                       absorbs
an enormous                                           — and frees —
barred owl explodes                                 absorbs
from a hemlock                                       — and frees —

then peeling                                           an inquisitive wasp
back the tarp                                          and soaking shirt
covering hand tools                                 mark noontime
revealing drunken                                   lunch on an
palm-sized crane flies                              overturned bucket
dizzily hovering                                       hordes of ants
harmless witnesses 
in this hour                                             now the clouds
of cool freshness                                     stately march
                                                             and the

placing shovels                                        humidity rises
rakes and                                                return to the rhythm
other companions                                    loading unloading
of the day                                               methodical movement
in the wheelbarrow                                  shoveling, raking
organizing                                               free of time
today’s task
                                                              a soft
finding rhythm                                         unexpected breeze
in the                                                      the sun’s
morning’s labor                                        lowered slant
loading unloading
the wheelbarrow                                      an alarmed jay’s
marks progress                                        raucous call
                                                              while returning
shadows retreat                                       implements
hawks circle                                            ambling slowly
heat intensifies                                        to the truck
the utter stillness
of mid-morning                                       the seamless evolution
                                                             each resplendent
                                                             moment birthing
the next

Category: Featured, Poetry

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