birdbath
they were out
on the front lawn
the father, the daughter
and the son-in-law
the father was showing
where the birdbath
would go when
it came
explaining
considerations of
this and that
it was hot and
dry out on that
patch of lawn
and the daughter
the son-in-law were
putting in an effort
to keep up with
his talk but seemed
to not know just
how much effort
it deserved.
i recalled having
such a conversation
with my mother once
about the birdbath
simply putting a
big basin on the
lawn doesn’t look
wonderful and wouldn’t
work in any case
because of the cats
she’d surveyed the
backyard in her
own fashion
yet couldn’t hit
on the right spot
the colour, pebbled
or smooth were
also on the table
and it was hot
work out on the
pivot of her empire
that back yard
and garden
with the clothesline
chugging the breeze
this way and that.
it took all my
vagrant years to
learn just what
things we can
speak of when it
comes down to
the waterline
where the little
becomes much
and the heavy
lifts to float
january 2,5,6, 2015
union st, cockle bay, howick