Last Night I Became Aware of the Beauty of Wood. (Revised).

Last night I became aware of the beauty of wood,
A beauty I had been taught to disregard
By parents in love with modern things,
With glass and steel, with artefacts of plastic,
With Formica tops covering leaky boards.

Last night I fell in love with polished wood,
Pale or dark, teak or pine, soft, or hard to cut,
It does not matter which;
Even the rough edged finish of the rocking chair
Is a delight to look at, to talk about, to touch.

Last night I threw out cushions stuffed with foam,
Stripped the plastic cover off the table,
Tore the tarnished lino from the floor.
Suddenly the whole house seemed to glow with life,
The dance of light on raw, and polished, grains.

From now on the table, chairs, the Chinese sofa
Shall remain on view; these simple hand made objects
Loved for what they are,
Items that made an honest craftsman smile
When he put by his chisel, lathe and saw.


Trevor John Karsavin Potter.
29th. January  - 1st. March 2018.