R
Robert Harrison
Guest
SMALL BUSINESS
HOT OIL, NOT THAT OF A CHIPPIE,* BUT FACTORY OIL,
MACHINARY HEATED, FUSED ITSELF WITH THE
PERFUME OF ELECTRIC WELDING, BESET MY NOSE,
WHILE VOCIFEROUS COUNTRY AND WESTERN
PUNCHED HOLES IN MY THOUGHTS, AND RECOILED OFF WALLS
RATTLING THE TOOLS OF A TRADE, AN ENGINEER PERHAPS?
A SPIRALING DRILL BIT DEEP, CORKSCREWED ITS WAY DEEP
INTO THE INERT BLOCK OF MILD STEEL, WHILE SUDS WASHED
AWAY THE DEBRIS OF THE WOUND, AND BURNISHED SWARF FELL
LIKE CAST OF CHRISTMAS DECORATION.WORK BENCH,
PILED WITH STEEL PIPING AND ANGLED IRON, DISCARDED TOOLS,
LEFT NO ROOM FOR CREATIVE DESIGN;
THOUGH OUT OF CHAOS CAME ORDER. CABLES OF LIVING ENERGY
SNAKED ACROSS THE FLOOR, WAITING FOR A SWITCH TO BRIDGE THE GAP
OF IDLENESS, TO PRODUCTIVITY AND USEFULNESS.
PLASTIC HOUSES CONTAINING FAMILIES OF BOLTS AND TOP HATTED NUTS,
SCREWS, LIKE MAGGOTS, WAITING TO PULL THEMSELVES INTO WHATEVER
THEIR POINTED NOSES COULD FEED ON. AIR PIPES HANGING
LIKE JUNGLE VINES, TRAILING BLUE SKINNED TENDRILS,
SEEKING TO BREATH THE BREATH OF LIFE INTO DEFLATED TUBE,
OR TO BLOW AWAY THE UNWANTED.
GIANT STEEL FAN ON TRIFFID LEGS, RUSTED WITH AGE, PURRING LIKE
A SERENGETI FELINE. MACHINE GUN RATTLED ON STUBBORN NUT.
HUB CAP RELECTING CRACKLING BLUE WHITE LIGHT, AND A SPARLER LIT ME EYE, AS METAL BONDED TO METAL. WORKING BOOTS, STEEL CAPPED,
MARCHED ACROSS THE FLOOR, EACH HOUSING A SOCK COVERED FOOT.
HAIRED LEGS REACHED UPWARD TOWARDS GREY “HARD YAKKA” **SHORTS,
WHILE MUSCULED ARMS AND THICK FINGERS MOVED IN DELICATE PRECISION, TO CREATE A THING OF BEAUTY.
AND THE MEN STOOD BACK, AND SMILED WITH DEEP SATISFACTION.
* Fish and chip shop
** Brand name for work clothes
Yakka = Work
HOT OIL, NOT THAT OF A CHIPPIE,* BUT FACTORY OIL,
MACHINARY HEATED, FUSED ITSELF WITH THE
PERFUME OF ELECTRIC WELDING, BESET MY NOSE,
WHILE VOCIFEROUS COUNTRY AND WESTERN
PUNCHED HOLES IN MY THOUGHTS, AND RECOILED OFF WALLS
RATTLING THE TOOLS OF A TRADE, AN ENGINEER PERHAPS?
A SPIRALING DRILL BIT DEEP, CORKSCREWED ITS WAY DEEP
INTO THE INERT BLOCK OF MILD STEEL, WHILE SUDS WASHED
AWAY THE DEBRIS OF THE WOUND, AND BURNISHED SWARF FELL
LIKE CAST OF CHRISTMAS DECORATION.WORK BENCH,
PILED WITH STEEL PIPING AND ANGLED IRON, DISCARDED TOOLS,
LEFT NO ROOM FOR CREATIVE DESIGN;
THOUGH OUT OF CHAOS CAME ORDER. CABLES OF LIVING ENERGY
SNAKED ACROSS THE FLOOR, WAITING FOR A SWITCH TO BRIDGE THE GAP
OF IDLENESS, TO PRODUCTIVITY AND USEFULNESS.
PLASTIC HOUSES CONTAINING FAMILIES OF BOLTS AND TOP HATTED NUTS,
SCREWS, LIKE MAGGOTS, WAITING TO PULL THEMSELVES INTO WHATEVER
THEIR POINTED NOSES COULD FEED ON. AIR PIPES HANGING
LIKE JUNGLE VINES, TRAILING BLUE SKINNED TENDRILS,
SEEKING TO BREATH THE BREATH OF LIFE INTO DEFLATED TUBE,
OR TO BLOW AWAY THE UNWANTED.
GIANT STEEL FAN ON TRIFFID LEGS, RUSTED WITH AGE, PURRING LIKE
A SERENGETI FELINE. MACHINE GUN RATTLED ON STUBBORN NUT.
HUB CAP RELECTING CRACKLING BLUE WHITE LIGHT, AND A SPARLER LIT ME EYE, AS METAL BONDED TO METAL. WORKING BOOTS, STEEL CAPPED,
MARCHED ACROSS THE FLOOR, EACH HOUSING A SOCK COVERED FOOT.
HAIRED LEGS REACHED UPWARD TOWARDS GREY “HARD YAKKA” **SHORTS,
WHILE MUSCULED ARMS AND THICK FINGERS MOVED IN DELICATE PRECISION, TO CREATE A THING OF BEAUTY.
AND THE MEN STOOD BACK, AND SMILED WITH DEEP SATISFACTION.
* Fish and chip shop
** Brand name for work clothes
Yakka = Work
