CLAUDE’S UMBRELLA

WE BROUGHT HOME
A QUEEN
A DREAMY MACHINE
MEANT TO POWER
AND ROAR
AND WASH IT
ALL CLEAN,
THE SLATE AND
THE ROCKS
AND ALL THE CEMENT
HAD ONCE BEEN
QUITE LOVELY
BUT NOW
IN DESCENT,
HE HOOKED
UP THE HOSE
AND STRUCK
QUITE A POSE
BLASTING
AWAY
IN THE HEIGHT
OF THE DAY,
IT DIDN’T TAKE
LONG TO SEE
THE RESULTS
WHERE THE
DIRT AND THE
GRIT HAD LAID
IT FLEW OFF THE
DECK AT THE
SPEED
OF BREAKNECK
FLYING INTO THE
GLADE,
SO I DONNED MY
WORK GLOVES
AND FOLLOWED ALONG
SLAVING IN
CONCERT
PULLING THE WEEDS
YANKING THE
OLD BULBS
THAT WENT OUT
TO SEED,
GATHERING
LIMBS FROM THE
VARIOUS TREES
STASHING IT
ALL AWAY,
WE BANTERED
AND LAUGHED
AND CHOREOGRAPHED
A PATH
THAT SURROUNDED
THE HOUSE,
MEASURING TIME
AND OPEN SPACE
IT WAS KIND OF
A FUN AND
DANGEROUS RACE

BUT WHEN WE
WERE DONE
AND THE LOWERING
SUN
WAS CASTING
A SPELL ON THE
PORCH,
I PICTURED A
PARTY
WITH THE FIRE
OF A TORCH,
WITH MUSIC AND
LAUGHTER
AND DRINKS
IN THE SHADE,
SO I WENT TO
RETRIEVE
THE OLD BATTERED
UMBRELLA
A RATHER GREEN
GUY AND
GAMELY OLD FELLA,
WHO HAD LIVED
OUT THE WINTER
UNDER THE TREES
WAITING FOR SUMMER
TO PROMISE A BREEZE,
AND SURELY ENOUGH
HE SPREAD HIS
STIFF WINGS
AND STOOD THERE
ABOVE ME
WITH TATTERED
BENT RINGS,
WAITING AT LAST
FOR CHANCE TO
SHINE
AND SHADOW
THE PEOPLE
WHO SIPPED THEIR
RARE WINE,
BUT THE FINAL SWEET
TOUCH I WAS
ANTICIPATING
A ROUND CLOTH
OF CLAUDE’S GARDEN
WAS FOLDED AND WAITING
SO I CLIMBED UP
THE LADDER
AND LAY IT ON TOP,
HOPING IT WOULDN’T
FALL OFF AND FLOP,
AND TO MY SURPRISE
THE COLORS WERE
PERFECT
FLOWERS AND VINES
MEANT TO PROTECT
AND SWEETLY ENTWINE,
THE ICING ON TOP
OF A GLORIOUS
CAKE,
A LOVELY FRENCH
CENTERPIECE,
MAKE NO MISTAKE!

©J.W. WINSLOW 8/1/17