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Poetry—as Carpentry, as Coffee

Dan Guillory

(1)

The lines must always be exactly
Right, and the correct measure
Must always be maintained:
Gouges, scrapes, hammer-
Scars, and unsightly nail heads
Must always be artfully con-
Cealed. The material is never
As important as the underlying
Design, the thing itself, standing
In the saffron of autumn light.

(2)

The brew happens slowly, drop
By drop, the pungent aroma, sharp
And bitter, suffusing the empty
Old house. Unlike wine, it keeps
Him going, thinking, grieving,
Tapping the worn-out tabletop,
Waiting until his favorite cup
Is filled up to the brim, until
It finally overflows, reaching
An unfamiliar world beyond.

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Professor Emeritus of English at Millikin University, Dan Guillory is the author of ten published books, including The Lincoln Poems.

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