"Reflections
of a Cogitating Carver"
©1992 D. Burgdorf
(Return to "Poetry")
Here I sit, I'm ready to start.
Got my tools and a fine piece of wood.
This time I will carve a world class piece
That will turn out super good.
A caricature
carving, that's what I'll do—
But no, the last one I tried,
The face wasn't right, the hands were too small
And the figure leaned to one side.
Realistic
wildlife? I've seen some great ones,
So real you could feel the weather,
But when looking at the texture on mine
Folk ask, "Is that fur or feather?"
A figure carving
could be a winner
But I'll set that idea aside.
No person in history ever resembled
The last human figure I tried.
I'd carve relief
but as I recall
My last attempt wasn't too good.
The perspective was wrong, composition just fair
And I cut through the back of the wood.
I tried chip
carving once before
But that could lead to starving.
My chips were neatly piled high
And drew more attention than the carving.
Guess I'll just
start and see what appears
As the wood begins to take shape.
Well darn, I cut my finger again.
Time for Merthiolate, band-aid and tape.
That's just my
luck because this is a piece
I'm sure would turn out right.
My work of art will have to wait.
Guess I may as well turn out the light
And dream of the
day when my carvings will be
Collected in many a home.
For now, when it comes to carving, it seems,
I do better just writing a poem.