wood for the fire

there is pleasure

in breaking

wood apart

into cords for the fire.

i take hard

swing after swing

of the axe

down upon the wood.

then stack it

on the side of the house.

it's a good sweat,

distracted by

no one, by nothing.

it's just me

and the wood,

under the cold blue sky,

bang goes the axe,

splitting, again and again.

bang,

then bang again.

for hours until one piece

is the last.