Auction Photo from 1stdibs
burled walnut
handsome to the hand
tactile poetry
From my books Bohemian Scents and Riverthink
Antiques
All posts tagged Antiques
Photo by Yuri Asotov
dust-blind mirrors
blend with gray
barnboard amid
castoff junk hung
and heaped within
post-and-beam history
should I care
whose last images
trapped in the glass
restive ghosts caught
in dully framed
portraiture
should I choose
one at random
an unclean companion
to oversee death
play its part
in my parlor
(originally posted November 2013)
Image from pinterest.com
brass stranger come lost
from a far ago place
somehow making its way
through descendants
of warm-blooded
fingers and palms
across thresholds
past sundowns
to find itself here
in this alien present
beyond reach of memory
sensing it still must contain
in the forge of its shape
some significant secret
a secret whose purpose
has taken on tarnished
patina of mystery
leaving to wonder if ever
its life was important
or merely just useful
“Antique Wagon” by Bob & Nadine Johnston
weather-beaten colonial wood
fragile relic of roads to revolt
false bottom hid muskets and balls
emblematic of pretense
beneath sworn allegiance to crown
haughty vestments of empire
cloaking its commonwealth fallacies
this homely vehicle trundled its share
of a rural insurgency fateful
and faithful in service of liberty
wheels turning tracks that led
ever dependably out of dependency
unto a favoring founding ground
bathed in bright light of new history
now come to hard well-earned
rest in its utilitarian dignity
high on the rise of my lawn
under rippling brisk shade
of my flag flying proud
despite changeable winds
in the foment of sorrowful men
cursed with inconstant hearts
Photo from 1stdibs.com
burled walnut
handsome to the hand
tactile poetry
“Aftermath”
Painting by Perry House
From glasstire.com
arrange me among my antiques
I belong to their centuries
chairs in which I may repose
in the ghostly embrace of old friends
thinking our shared ancient thoughts
giving memory rational exercise
touching these things touched by
hands of minds sager than mine
patina of their late contemplations
the residue wisdom that dusts
these dead objects these primitive
ordinaries used by men famous
men forthright and brave in their
confident purpose to foment and
father a new scheme of governance
bringing a new world enlightened to life
here I have Washington’s battle sword
Madison’s inkpot and Jefferson’s quill
Franklin’s spectacles Adams’ own teacup
Jay’s gavel and Hamilton’s coins
here I have ideas of words that resound
in my head as they did in the resolute
hearts of revolt the just impetus for great
creation to come from a grave dissolution
here I have words of ideas to surround me
Plato and Paine Aristotle and Montesquieu
Voltaire Rousseau Hume and Cicero
not least the legacy passed on by Locke
arrange me among my antiques
I belong to their centuries
all but ignored as irrelevant snuffed
by the modern political dilettantes
keep me in imperfect reverence
join me to imperfect champions
waste yourself tearing down structures
of imperfect glorious history
Bulova Ashford
RegulatorSchoolhouse Clock
Photo from princetonwatches.com
articulate octagon
speaking of time
annunciates crisp
startling ticks each
alone in its moment
creating a standstill
of silence to separate
one from the other
effective detachments
a series of movements
a marching in circles
precise of a progress
escapement attuned
to invisible action
of gravity pulling
young life stop-and-go
stop-and-go through
the sway-weight of
seconds of minutes
that mark out the
schoolhouse experience
leaving their lasting
impressions on minds
unaware just how much
they’ll remember
Antique Chinese Dark Jade Horse
Photo from liveauctioneers.com
transcendent symbol
adorned with a powerful grace
carries dreams on the wind
charm of princes and peasants
imbued with a lunar translucence
skilled consummate fingers of orient
coaxing the light from a stone
given down to your hands
wishing only your reverence
the warmth of your palms
irresistibly drawn to reach back
through the artisan ages
and find understanding
inanimate amulet wisdom
beheld in the carve and the curve
of its muscular splendor
its intricate brawn
feel it coming to life
touch its courage
“Old Wooden Window”
Photo art by 10Ft
From deviantart.com
old wood settles me
shares its story of time
told by fingers who
crafted warm histories
creased by fine grain
pieced with joinery
passed down through
secret-wrought skills
from medieval guilds
old wood settles me
gives me respite from
the metal the plastic
the chemical compost
of noxious modernity
smooth honeyed edges
console a displaced
sense of era with
antique aesthetics
old wood settles me
fills up with ambient
comfort my eyes
gone distressed by cold
landscapes of artifact
ugliness feigning to
decorate life within
sight within reach
without owning a soul
old wood settles me
touches its treasures
of gold to the holds
of my galleon mind
draughting deeply in
currents of maritime
memory wars of
emotions laid quiet
in pacified interlude
old wood settles me
teaches its lessons
each mar and gouge
every splinter and split
reminiscent of wounds
to my heart to my skin
wounds that qualify me
and old wood for a
dignified elderly life
“Old Rain Barrel”
Photo by Andrew Wayne
From flickr.com
a mere humble
rain barrel
softened
and grayed
by runoff
of time
it’s important
it suits me
standing
for something
I so admire
where I can
no longer
stand for myself
Poesy plus Polemics 