FIRE STARTING.

[dadio]

Polly hates cleaning out the fire grates
And relighting the fires. Seven of

Them to do before breakfast and other
Jobs. She sits back on her haunches and wipes

Her sweaty brow with the back of her hand.
She watches the flickering flames lick slow

Amongst the firewood and pieces of
Coal. She places her blackened hands in front

Of the fire to warm her cold fingers.
She wonders if Master George will arrive

Today. Last time he came home for a week
Or so from the Front he had her in his

Bed most of the nights shafting her for all
Glory. She smiles. Poor Susie didn’t like

That. Sleeping alone getting cold while she
Polly was being warmed. She stops smiling.

Each morning she dreads hearing news of his
Death at the Front. The War has claimed many

Men each day, column after column in
The newspapers. She pokes the fire to

Stir the flames faster. If you get yourself
With a bloody child, you’ll be out on your

Ear, Susie had said to her each morning
She had crept back to their bed after the night

Of shafting and sleeping in the Master’s
Warm double bed. So far, she’s been lucky,

She muses, standing up from the burning
Fire, looking at the licking flames and

Picking up the dustpan and brush. The house
Hold was still asleep, no one was stirring,

Just a few birds to break the morning hush.

[Hollweg]

You have a gift for hiding your rhymes, dadio. Nicely done.

[hester_prynne]

Wow.
I can't imagine that kind of head trip.
Disturbing and well done.
H

[dadio]

Thank you for reading, hollweg & hester.

[Hollweg]

And nice double use of "column after column." For me, one of your best pieces.

[dadio]

Thank you, hollweg.

[joel]

I agree...one of my favorites. I'll be coing back to read it again...too much to do and too much weather standing in the way. Maybe I should take a hint....

[dadio]

Thank you, Joel.

[joel]

Yo yo Dadio--

I try to read your poems without looking at the pictures first...and in this one, my cultural context of growing up made my mind jump to American chattel slavery: the image of a female house slave bartering body-for-heat (and this extremely taboo idea to me that she could possibly enjoy it at all) was enthralling in its horror and/or humanity (especially since I'm reading it with the master being off at war (in my mind a Confederate soldier) fighting to keep Polly enslaved and rape-able). And then I see the picture and the ideas change, but still...powerful and thought-provoking and disturbing in a challenging/developing way.

[dadio]

Thank you, Joel for the feedback.

[joel]

No, thank you for your door into other minds and thoughts! I really enjoy the paths you cut from faces and expressions, taking 2D art out of a dimensional world and into a relational one. Peace, DD-O