First Ballad.
Symphony in the making was silently
waiting in his old workshop.
I viewed with amazement that motley
collection of well-used tools
and knew how unusual was the music
hung there adorning the walls.
Hammers and saws tuned in for action,
tin shears and gimlets
stood ready to combat wood-shrinkage,
old oil-stones for honing
the blades all told me they could sing to
a Maestro's conducting.
An old wicker-chair in which I was sitting
plaintively winced at my
young movement as I examined the magic
in that Merlin's cave for,
about to be married I needed a man who
was declared a true master
of all things wood and who by talented
hands could teach me the craft.
I for once was eager to learn all the hows
of the trade, thankful the chance
of fine carpentry was coming my way so
I put on my new white apron,
picked up the apprentice-stick-measure
and like a baton gave it a tap
as my first ballad was about to take shape.
-
Author:
Fay Slimm. (
Offline) - Published: April 7th, 2018 02:30
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 52
- Users favorite of this poem: Laura🌻
Offline)
Comments9
Fay - I just love this - one of your best - it tells a great story and carried it with me every word of the read.
So pleased you were taken with this piece Michael - - I must have another attempt at tale-telling again soon. Thanks a load.
Evocative of times gone by, a master of craft taking an apprentice built some special relationships. Nicely written...
Ah - your comment Davey gives me encouragement to write about more of these dying crafts as a tribute to those who as masters and learners built good relationships and left so much beauty behind. Thanks for your interesting comment..
I could smell the wood shavings in the workshop Fay and the excitement of the young apprentice..... such a beautiful picture - both word and sketch.......
Am delighted it drew you into the feel of the occasion Lorna - these unsung happenings need to be recognized as a great contribution to growing communities in their day. Thank you my friend for your encouragement.
Well your pictures of the past are so beautiful they make me yearn for it........
A fine write Fay. Are they chefs, with those hats? I wish I would shut up! lol.
The workers in wood wore such garb in the long-ago times Orchi - - - white was the preference for a clean job - - - those hats are a bit like a chef's headgear though I agree.
Absolutely splendid. I work with carpenters and woodworkers and this resonated for me. Thanks for sharing such a descriptive and creative piece!
Thanks Virago for your experience with such workers in wood and the tools they take care to keep sharp for the job - in days gone by handcrafted pieces were made with such care and have lasted to tell us their tale of such times. They all deserve a tribute to skills which must take a long time to perfect.
A fine write, my dear Fay!
You chose a great pic to accentuate your fine write! It reminds me of my maternal grandfather’s workshop! Loved to watch him create his wooden pieces! I was very young at the time, but I can still remember the feeling! Everything in his house was made by him!
~Laura~
It honours my words for them to take you back to happy times when craftsmen like your grandfather made all in the home to last and be cared for. I have an old rocking chair which has been handed down and sit on it often thinking of how many have left their own memories in every creak - - - I have written about that chair and will have to look it out soon . Bless you for sharing your young experience of valuable wood being lovingly sculpted for family use.
Thank you Fay!
Thanks FAY ~ A GOOD POEM should tell a GOOD STORY ~ and yours is an EXCELLENT POEM ! There is always a melody being played out in busy Carpenter's Shop and I have often heard it and even a Carpenter playing BACH on a Musical Saw. You have captured the nuance perfectly in this nostalgic Poem 'n Pic ~ Thanks for sharing ~ Your MPS Friend ~ BRIAN
I will join the chorus and say that this is a well crafted piece. The link from wood to music is apropos. Think of the guitar, violin, cello, or bass; and then, there are the woodwinds, which at one time were wooden instruments. Certainly the conceptual thought of both creators of music and. say. a piece of furniture is on a par. A great first ballad. It held my interest from the get-go, and reminded me of youthful days working in a carpenters shop. Wow! A storyteller is born. Loved it. - Phil A.
I was sitting their with you Fay, may your baton always produce fine words like these.
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