Poetry Friday, July 12. 2019

This week's Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by poet, Jone Rush MacCulloch at Deowriter. Go and have a look at the fabulous poetry fortune generator she received and make sure to check out the links to other participants sharing poetry today.



I am still working on poems from 1958, when my family joined other relatives on an adventure into the Pine Valley region in Northern British Columbia. I'm committed to sharing a bit every week to keep me going. They might not be in any kind of order. I just hope to get some kind of drafts out there. I appreciate feedback on the construction of the poetry and ideas and questions about what information might be missing.

I've got four or five more sections left I think. Then I expect I'll go back and rewrite all of it.

BATH TIME

In summer
formal baths
were unheard of.
Getting cleaned up was
as simple as
sudsing and
splashing in the river.

A basin of soapy water
was always on hand
for quick cleanups,
washing hands before meals,
and removing the worst of the dirt
before bed.

With the onset of fall,
the weather turned cold,
the river colder.

We got bathed
formally,
'bout once a week.

Water was hauled up,
heated on the stove
and poured into
a galvanized square washtub.

Everyone in the family
bathed in the same water.
The baby went first,
then us kids got our turn.

One evening
I was lucky enough to
be second in line.

Mommy washed my hair
and made sure
the rest of me was
scrubbed up good
before wrapping me in a towel
to dry off.

Even with the wood stove blazing,
It was still frigid in the kitchen.

The towel covered my
shoulders and torso,
but that’s all.

Hugging it around me,
I backed up towards
the heat,
wanting to
warm my backside.

Be careful,
My mother warned.

Ignoring her,
I edged my rear
nearer to the warmth,
until
I backed my bottom
right up against
fiery hot cast iron.

hssss

Seared the skin right off.

Hurt like the devil.

But I don’t actually
remember that part,
only mortification.

I suppose I am left with a scar,
but luckily,
it's all behind me.