The Lock

The assignment in my creative writing class was to write a poem about an inanimate object, and to give it life-like features.  I chose a lock, a simple device, but tough and resilient and damn near impossible to destroy.  I got some praise in class because of this, with one person saying it even sounded like lyrics to a metal song.  I'm not sure if I agree with it or not, but I still like the way the poem came out.

The Lock

With a click,

I protect.

With a clack,

I seal.

Unbreakable,

Solid steel

And turning wheel

Or a key

To keep at bay

To keep away

Hidden behind

Heavy weight and I

Am safe and secure

Content and protected

All secrets kept

All things remain

I stand vigilant

I am safety and security

None can enter

None may leave

I am the lock.

Such Merry Toil - A Poem For My Father

Since my Dad started getting disability, he's taken up wood working as a hobby.  He crafted a fantastic end table for me, and did up a couple of doll cabinets to house my niece's doll clothes, shoes, and other miniature accessories.  He's getting more and more into the craft, to keep himself busy and to satisfy that artistic side of him that he gave me and my grandfather gave him.  Having a job and raising four boys put a damper on that, but it never really dies.  I'm glad to see him expressing it, and I thought I'd commemorate that renewal with this poem.  

Such Merry Toil

By Doug Wheaton

His hands rough-hewn, like an old oak tree,

Or the rusted bolts on an old tractor,

On a farm that once thrived but

Has since gone on to decrepitude.

He toils merrily over lathe and wood,

Sanding and shaping and tirelessly carving

In an ancient workshop full of tools

Of a bygone era, the sawdust on the floor

The only sign of its passing.

“Why work like this, Father?” I ask,

Oblivious to the love of craft that keeps a man

Such as he locked away in an old shop that has

Faded with the passage of time.

His gaze rises, his lathe ceases to spin.

He meets my eyes, and gives me a grin.

“Time hasn’t stopped for me, son,” he says.

“I’m not about to give in to it.”

My Blog! Aren't you excited?

I know what you're thinking.

This guy has a blog.  So what?

I know, big freakin' deal, right?  But I wanted to start this for a few reasons.  Now that I'm in college, my creativity is being put to the test, and the output isn't as craptastic as I thought it would be.  I actually find that I'm liking some of the poetry and stories that are coming out, and next semester I've got two art classes and another creative writing class, so the creativity will only come pouring forth even more.  So why not share it with the world?

Secondly, my deviant art page is kinda...lame.  I mean, it has some of my work on it, but every time I look at it, it can't really stack up with some of the fantastic digital artists there, and my black and white pencil and ink work isn't the greatest comic art that's graced the online pages of that website.  Here, what I post might just have a more intimate audience, one with friends and family who can offer critique and not just sarcasm.  Cause the latter gets us nowhere.

So, check it out, and enjoy!  Any criticism is welcome, so long as it's constructive!