An Atomical Labour
tight thoughts toil,
as threads in head uncoil
ideas plaited, intent's tug
escort through dilate pupils.
umbrella lashes shady look
was all it took-
inception outspooked
at artful spirit's raid,
inkling's snapline birth
twine in tensile mind,
sprinkling notion's seeds.
Small things become divine.
II
dark temples tip
to face the earth.
small beads of sweat,
wet film on upper lip,
drops glisten-slide-
incessant glide off chin...
the downturned mouth
slack, sucks air in.
sultry air sticks to skin,
sky- cupped copppery sun
flings fistfulls of harsh-face
heat at human's hands,
bared back, red burnt ears.
III
stung by midday's rays,
her feet squirm in sandals.
a little trickle trails
loosely down her spine,
centres her in query.
how fits old age in time?
as languid mind wanders
to and fro, it wonders
how to weave and spin
a scritch-scratch sketch
without a page and pencil-
life is often paperthin.
but then, skull cocooons
such arty sparks, wraps
mind's eye round
work-weighted back
and automatic way
arm muscles contract,
bunch, then relax...
IV
automatic, he drops,
hunched on haunches-
old heavy breaths squat
dull haloes in hot air.
gnarled digits dig and grip
grass, rip roots up and out.
soil shakes free with flails'
repeated earth-bound smacks.
cordline marks his pathline.
straight stakes curve serpentine.
tidy, calm, dark grey
stepping stones lay flat
between fresh greenleaved
skinny trees. on uprright trunks
young growth clings to sinew stems.
V
and then, again, automatic,
he slices soil with spade's
deep drive to dislodge
grassy clumps and clods.
forgiving ground gives in,
gives back fine sand
that puffs sporadic snorts
of dust that lands on lips,
bonds to solid jaw, nasal hairs.
he licks clean his teeth,
and spits away wet mash
VI
man, age old mortar-
vassel to death's pestle-
caves in, staved in,
back-broken tired...
mechanicsfoul notions
wired with snarled emotions-
pathways all ways snaking,
turn twisted and burning
beneath the searing scowl
of a sizzling sun.
VII
now mindful, she senses
unearthed details divine.
books them in back of mind.
reserved interest detains
others' losses, pains, gains-
fixated in a future time.
22/7/2018.
( This is a looooong poem- thank you very much for reading!)
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