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