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Wood-Fired Kiln
Potter loves the uncertainty of process.
The way the fire-ash binds to glaze.
The irregularity of flame's touch.
He carefully stacks the dried spun pieces
in a pile in the kiln, each piece touching,
separated by broken pieces of shell and wadding.
So that the pieces touching don't stick together.
Potter loves the fingerprints this leaves
from shielded firing and shells.
This adds to the in-print impressions of leaves
shells and branches, the potter presses
into the unfired clay like an etching sketching.
The potter paints the alchemy of glaze
only the firing will emblaze
with color, shine, feel and texture.
seven days to cut the wood
seven days to dry it
seven friends to stoke the fire day and night
seven days to finish firing the kiln
seven days to cool it down
Then, the bricks are removed, one by one,
to reveal the jewels among the ashes.
Some good, some bad, some magnificent.
Some firings just don't work at all.
Seven days to rest and admire
the pots made in wood-fired kiln.
Before the wheel is
kicked back into action.
The pots are wheel-spun, hand-cupped crafted.
The wood is sought, chopped and stacked.
The ash is removed, and kiln
is readied for next firing.
Yes, with wood, for the love of labor
and for the uncertainty of process
it brings, natural and organic.
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