Square block
                                         It was a great find.
About five inches square,        
                        perfectly square, some sort

     of hardwood, maybe redwood.

                           With a piece like this
    anything was possible.
                   A sculpture. I've often
thought of carving a sculpture.

                  My daughter speculates;
        obscure, quizzes it, like a
                   mouse  might quiz plastecine:
It could be cheese. Mmmm?

            I cut. A corner. 90 degrees.
All the way round - queer octahedron.
     No. This piece is too good
         for symmetry. I gouge

           chunks from one side,
     near randomly, India arranging
the skelfs on the carpet-
     'Daddy? mine?' Yes. Of course.

     That's less successful;
lopsided it. That's ok like!
and carve a leggy protrusion
     from  the knot, wave around it.

                 How soon the scraps
           outweigh the thing,
      the little bastards each
surpass it effortlessly.

     India's well chuffed
           though I'd have them on the fire
     to burn! you bastard brothers,
and all your elements to ashes-

Och!
or maybe just your distant cousin, with
                            matches.

Cor, 1998