2020-08-28


Man in the Open Air
--Stephen Sandy 
Look how in heat waves the folding metal
chairs go slack in the sun
and their withered arms settle
waiting like ritual tongs to hold your body. 
How their legs puncture the lawn
and the grass lies back, creeps on.
Think how the comfrey and mint
will grow and cleave 
till it's time to bolt.
Look how the cabbages swelled
and now it is time to loosen carefully,
to give the feeder roots a severing jolt 
with a twist of each head on it stalk
detaining green
increase in holding patterns
until it is time to take them in. 
Think how you, supple
on long afternoons, have lain in the sun
or stood up
glad not be of use, not to be held.

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