Renovations

Sheila Martindale
From:   Close to the Heart. (anthology, English Garden Publishers, 1996).

Mix the cellulose filler with water
to a creamy paste
— soft enough to work with
stiff enough to hold

With a putty knife

press the mixture
into holes and cracks

Remove excess
with a clean scraper
allow to dry

Sand with medium-grain paper
until smooth

Brush away the dust

Paint

My walls are almost perfect
the filler is always right
- never sloppy or too hard
I work deftly and fast
to fill in all the damaged places
to smooth over the rough spots

I apply high-quality paint
its egg-shell finish looks fragile
but is in fact quite durable
and can withstand heavy use

No one guessed
the structure was in danger
of collapse

Poem 1 | Poem 2 | Poem 3 | Poem 4 | Poem 5 | Poem 6

Sheila Martindale's works copyright © to the author.