the big jack I caught in the stonepile

Phil Hall

  the big jack I caught in the stonepile
& put in the cellar to tame
  ran in blurred circles 'til the farmhouse spun

when I caught him again to let him go
  his hindlegs jumping in my fist like the tractor's gear knob
he tore a long furrow up the belly of my arm
  as if I'd been trying to kill myself

the house slowly stopped spinning
  & fell on its side — the cellar an open grave
its soft potatoes handled by cloud shadow

  boy was my arm ever starting to sing

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Phil Hall's works copyright © to the author.