HANDMADE TWO

Frederick Douglass Perry AKA GREATWORK

For the UTATA Project Homeade

See 'HANDMADE TWO L A R G E

and what do I make by hand
not iron, nor pottery,
not candles molded in sand,
nor finely knitted scarves
none of these can I claim
but everything described
can I conjure in my mind
a horseshoe flat and true
dimpled details beat
fresh from the fire
pounded into the curves
as they move
to a finale in a sloping arch
that holds the luck from dripping out
a pot that in a thousand years
described as shards upon a mound
spun by the master on the wheel
and then the blaze deep in the kiln
bakes into a fine tattoo
announcing like a griot
that this is the hardness from the earth
that makes the pulsation of the drum
a flame ignites around a wick
a soft glow given birth
to light expanding from the gloom
magically bringing knowledge from the murk
two hands bringing shape and form
with only nervous ticking sound
the brilliant strands of color dyed
from the Shepard’s harvest of the spring
and yes – this is the work I bring
a few well chosen vowels and consonants
combine to make these images appear
and this is what I made by hand
B I R D
Poem & Image Copyright
© 2007, Frederick Douglass Perry, All rights reserved

to my mom who gave me the children's book
“Frederick” by Leo Leoni
when I was a grown man




Scarf created by Valerie Haynes Perry
From Her Winter 2006 Series


Scarf created by Valerie Haynes Perry
From Her Winter 2006 Series

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