Spinster
An old sewing machine's
An old sewing machine's
thick needle and thread
thick needle and thread
dives into red silk,
dives into red silk,
tracing short seams
tracing short seams
with taut stitches.
with taut stitches.
Firm warm hands
Firm warm hands
smooth the cloth
smooth the cloth
pulling folds
pulling folds
of fabric, bunched
of fabric, bunched
loose around the needle.
loose around the needle.
A final tug tests
A final tug tests
the thread-lines, stretched
the thread-lines, stretched
close to bursting, easing
close to bursting, easing
a finger along one seam
a finger along one seam
to feel the coarse
to feel the coarse
tingle of raised stitches.
tingle of raised stitches.
Sliding off, the dress
Sliding off, the dress
exposes a bare oak top,
exposes a bare oak top,
polished life-long
polished life-long
by two hands that know the craft.
by two hands that know the craft.