sweeping

he held his broom
bristles up
to count them
to check them

 

to see
that they were
straight and strong

 

he checked
for pliability

 

for density

 

he found them
good

 

and he began
as he always began
in what seemed to him
a corner

 

a place
that seemed
logical
to begin

 

there is a rhythm
to sweeping well

 

a method
to the art

 

and the sound

 

sha

 

sha

 

is regular
is constant
in its depth of sound

 

and when a man
can find
that perfect pace
he can sweep
right through the hours
of night

 

and so he swept
from his beginning place
getting in
behind the dark

 

and where he swept
you could see
that he had passed that way

 

for each pull
of the broom
each sweep
in that rhythmic way
brought a little night
with it
left a little
day behind

 

as he moved along
the sun rolled in
filling every space
he had worked through

 

he swept

 

he swept
the whole dark night
away

 

so
that’s a job well done

 

so
that will hold light
for awhile

 

so
until another day
has passed

 

and when the new night
is deep and dark

 

when it seems
it will never end

 

he will take his broom
for a bristle count

 

a straightening check

 

the density

 

sha

 

and

 

sha

sha

sha

and

 

sha

 

he will sweep
the daylight back
again

 

~