Poetry Friday -- Tools

This poem goes out to the men in my life who have known their way around a hardware store and a toolbox with their eyes closed.

But it also goes out to anyone who knows the secret names of flowers and trees, constellations and kitchen gadgets.


HARDWARE
by Ronald Wallace

My father always knew the secret
name of everything—
stove bolt and wing nut,
set screw and rasp, ratchet
wrench, band saw, and ball—
peen hammer. He was my
tour guide and translator
through that foreign country
with its short-tempered natives
in their crewcuts and tattoos,
who suffered my incompetence
with gruffness and disgust.
Pay attention, he would say,
and you'll learn a thing or two.

(the rest is here)


The roundup today is at Big A little a