Wednesday, March 8, 2017

sunwashed



a sunwashed dress
remembered
a tall sky lacking shapes
against flat blue

there is a line of strength ----- pulled taut
from pole to pole, not phone
or power
a clothes line, an umbilical cord, a life path set
all to straight

a line                      
                touched and tendered

as a mother tenders her young
stepping back, stepping
forth                           eye follows
moves and motion
                 follows wet and warmth

sunwashed strength straight, strong
empowering the sun
               lifting the breeze,
cursing rain
             laughing in the face of fate

bkmackenzie
copyright (2017)

Photo by Steve Salt
Posted for Poets United

11 comments:

  1. That clothesline stands for a lot. I remember my grandma getting the wash out on the line. The Ladies used to vie, to see whose wash was out earliest. I also used a clothesline for many years.

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  2. Clothesline conjures nostalgic memories for me. I love your words!

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  3. "there is a line of strength ----- pulled taunt"
    Love this!
    Back in the day, I put clotheslines in my solo performance. Those lines aired things while they dried. And hanging clothes as a child, I spent time both with nature and with my own thoughts. I have written an ode or two to them as well--them and the doorways we always see women waiting in. Love your poem.

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  4. I still use clothesline...a happy sun, the detergent scent and the power behind the hard work does a world of good...love the mother tendering stanza...

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  5. I use a clothline too (in a drying area so no worries with the rain). My neighboors know me as the man that always does his wash on Monday morning! Beautiful poem bkm.

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  6. Apt metaphor – and what a lovely, triumphant ending!

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  7. What a powerful analogy. So well done!

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  8. Well worded. We all benefit from a the fresh air of light.

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  9. This is beautifully done, quite a masterpiece. I just love it.
    Kind regards
    Anna :o]

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  10. A line drawn around many good things...hard work....I would like to hang my clothes out side, but time is short, so I push buttons instead. My neighbor still hangs her clothes out, there are only two of them, I wonder...is she taking in laundary, hardly a day passes that there are not clothes on the line. I like to see her there....

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