Three Chores, One Country Day 3

Resource added
Unreal my recollection halfway up the lane: how delicate the pitchfork handle closing the gate, upright on prongs stuck down, slim sentinel receding till my shirtsweat chilled atop the hill, my glance tuned farther up, as if my stomach didn't know he would be near: the beautiful bay, once my prancer, companion up the moonlit hill, his restless ears alive to silences I only guessed beneath my breath— and now my breath was like a scar across my chest to think of him. "Sleeping sickness." How could two words pare down his flesh from day to day, sink him into a circle on the grass, my arms now strong enough to lift him? I could not bear to do what I remember vaguely doing. It takes me all my life and all my strength to do three chores: to slop these hogs despite the boar, find beauty down in barnyard lore, and claim for love some patches on the grass. 1979 1980

Full description

Poem written by Emanuel in 1979/1980 detailing everyday chores of living in the rural Midwest in the United States, while simultaneously alluding to the trauma of slavery. (Page 3)

Comments

Log in to view and add comments.

Annotations

No one has annotated a text with this resource yet.

  • type
    Image
  • created on
  • file format
    jpg
  • file size
    770 kB
  • container title
    James A. Emanuel Papers
  • creator
    James A. Emanuel
  • issue
    BOX 4 FOLDER 26, "The Chopping Block (Selected Poems)," draft 1988 (1 of 2)
  • rights
    James A. Emanuel Estate
  • rights holder
    James A. Emanuel Estate
  • version
    1979/1980