A Question for John

[Thunderembargo]

After helping me cut cedar in El Bosque Aboriginal,                                    cedar is hard wood, not easy to accomplish
I was done for the day,                                                                             this line could be more lyrical, less basic
but you began working your charcoal pit,
cutting oak, hauling it to the pit, stacking it in, stirring it with a cedar pole,
over and over,                                                                                          i like the cadence of this
on into darkness,  
and I finally came out of the cabin
and tried to tell you about Ethan Brand,                                                        this reference seems too private, too cloistered
but you were so mesmerized by your task,
I finally gave up and went back in.

It’s a conical pit
now hidden by the winter grasses,                                             
so if you stand in it, your head is just above their tops.
Next to it, there is a wheelbarrow’s worth of charcoal,
subsided now, after 10 months, 
to a miniature village of black hills.
the pit is empty; you cleaned it out.
Did you know you were leaving?                                               this is a profound pre-sentiment, linking the preceding passages, clairvoyantly

I have your fire-pole at home with me.
Your hands wore one end smooth as polished bone,
and I can hold it where your hands were.                                the connection to the spirit of John through objects, made sacred by his work, captivating

Part of me wants to return it to the pit,
(you might want the pole back where you left it)
but I can’t let weather and time erase your hands just yet.
Time enough for that when I am gone too, mijo.

"Take what you need and leave the rest"


This is an important work, I'm really impressed with the spirit of this work