Stone Circles

I build stone circles
to watch the sweep of year

the fan of rises
The arc of settings
The stretch of day
The first of May
to midsummers
Warming march
Towards the bountiful
Balance of falls’ fading light

The crunching crispness
of the winter Solstice sun
Sliding down perfectly
across the frozen field
To pinch the shortest day

I build stone circles
To plug in my connect
with sky marking points
Year to year
I feel Earth roll
Away with rocks
I sight
Suns’ bearing
Lighting the wide field
Or filtered
In this small
And sheltered grove
Of sassafras
And moss

I build stone circles
To show
My kids
These things
To share
With grace
And how
These marks
Of solar time
Repeat
Each year

I build stone circles
Because I like
Stone
Its’ lasting
Comfort
Warm in summer
It holds the heat
Late
Into the fall

by Steve Ewing

Vanity

I saw you anchored
In summer
Just on the edge
Outside the shoal
Still shallow
Off Shear Pen Pond
Oscar in waders
Scratchin’ for hogs
I’ve seen your stern
In winter sputter
While you towed
For scallops
Dredges draining
On the rail
Oscars’ back
Hunched over the board
Culling the last haul
Wide
In Souwest rain gear
The bay
It seemed
Was made just for you
I followed
In my small
Leaky skiff
Towing drags
Humble
In your
Broad shadow
I watched
Your limit stowed
As you left
The pond
On windy days
How you’d head north
Into the swell
Toward Cape Cod
Then turn
And slide
Down the following sea
For the harbor
It seemed
You steered
Yourself
While Oscar washed
You down
I sold him paint
Each spring
To coat your bottom
Kirby red
From New Bedford
You looked so proud
Launched
Fresh painted
Your dog house hatch
Top hat cocked

Later
I saw Oscar
In the hospital
Before he died
We chatted
He seemed
Fine
But then he drifted off

Steve Gentle
Passed you on
Rebuilt
And back afloat
With spars and sail
Instead of drags
You looked so sharp
So new and light
It’s good to see you
Got up in your summer rig
As if the wind
Was made
To push you
Right along