Sunday, July 29, 2018

Spring Break-up



the twelve-foot cedar strip
                      belongs to the headman
the assignment challenged the wind
                  funnelling up the river
      following the boys I entered the tunnel
seated as a sail
                   of cotton, denim and wool
around and around
                               and over
grab the keel
                          slip
grab again
                                     slip
blood slows and
                        pictures of summer dances,
report cards and roast beef
                        r-o-l-l-s-l-o-m-o
                                           on my screen
as the light in the projector
                             f l i c k e r s
the sound stops
                    and death reaches out
                                  to take me in
not counting on the vial
                of hidden adrenalin…
a side-stroke and the head’s canoe
                                       floats ashore
with my capsized ego.
                                                                (1983)

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