Summer Work
at dawn my knees creak
lugging dirt, woodchips from
here to thereup the ladder, heavy bundles of shingles
hot roof mixing tar and sweat
remove the old, replace with newdisplacing paint chips, sweep, collect
leaning, squinting, coating
new layers and years in the camp poolpushing back and forth
taking the top of each grass blade
stuffing in a bag, piling togethercutting pulling nailing
forces through distances in exact proportion
lifting bending rearranging
dirt rock metal wood
to the energy spent plus sweat exerted
changing the world in the sun
on foot-pound at a time