Caleb
The dawn was steel and gray
The day Caleb came to his senses,
He could smell the kitchen love,
Of Maxwell House and blintzes.
“It’s been too long – he stretched
Since this home was filled with laughter.
On his face split a crooked smile,
For Caleb’s morning after.
The revival meeting ‘neath the canopy
“All day singin’ and dinner on the grounds,”
Went two noisy whooping days,
Dark and light, out of bounds.
“Wonder if I’d be presumptious,”
Now that it’s done and over,
To court Lucy Bell in broad daylight,
Neath that flopping canopy cover.
The singers are gone home
But that’s all right
Lucy Bell’s voice is like song to me,
With or without white moonlight.
“Brush your teeth” came a throated yell,
From the sweet smell the kitchen way;
It wasn’t a yell from Lucy Bell,
“Git up, time to start your day!”
Caleb started and shook, realized
His Lucy Bell was only a dream,
“Git in here, Caleb, grab your knife and fork,”
Monday waits for no man, good or mean!
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.