#10 Cedar Wood by Emma McKervey

Cedar Wood

It is odd that the cedar wood is cut,

carved, and sanded into acorns of around 3cm

as the acorn is the fruit of the oak tree.

It does make an underwear drawer emit a pleasant scent

whilst rummaging in the early morning

in the throes of pre-work tension.

The cedar acorns huddle in the gloom of lace and stretched elastic,

and sometimes, when  a moment of peace is required,

one can be removed from its cloistered sleep and rolled

dreamily between the palms to warm the grain

and loosen the sap in silent stasis within

before the hunt for matching socks is continued.

Solomon commanded 80,000 men to cut down

the cedar trees of Lebanon for him.

Then the whole nation must have been permeated

with the fresh scent in the air against the crash of falling trees,

sinus’s alternatively clogged with sawdust and then cleansed

 with the fragrant breeze as the hills were denuded of wood.

With these razed trees he wished to build a palace in which he could find peace

and rolled in the space between the palms of those boughs

clarity sought might possibly have been found.

Such knowledge is good to hold on to when drawers refuse

to shut against the tendrils of stockings, that for a king 80,000 men

and  several forests of timber is needed to find wisdom of thought

when 3 small acorns can so often be enough.