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Neighbours put in their place, fencing…

Wayne Blair 1951 (London)

Free verse
We have a common
Fence.
Rocks and mortar.
Repointed many a time.
Sometimes by Art
Or by me and Brother Spencer.
Self interest was
Surprisingly absent.
Whereas in the city
Conflict would have
Gone to Court.
Naming nasty names, deeds.


But sadly this past
Hallowe’en
Five kids from down
The hill came with spades
Snickering, unheard.
And decimated our
Long respected agreement.
Rocks all over the place.
Everything seemed un-governed.
Lacking in the orderly touch.


Art could only laugh.
Says he, Get a blindfold
Drop a stone at the
Tip of your left foot.
Where you think the
Starting point makes sense.


Still blindfolded, toss
The second stone ahead.
Try for about a
Forty-five foot distance,
Art would monitor the
Trajectory thus created.
Boundary then extends
All the way, southwesterly.
Along that very line.


To Old Macfarlane’s big
Apple tree.
We remember seeing that.
Point of reference.
Job done, and done
Reasonably.


We will forego
The legals, surveys
And Title Registry.
OK?

OK.

About this poem

With respect for the images by Robert Frost concerning fences in Vermont. And neighbours.

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Written on June 05, 2023

Submitted by dougb.19255 on June 05, 2023

Modified by dougb.19255 on June 05, 2023

1:01 min read
10

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCXXCXDEXXX XXXXXCDXXX XXFXFB XXFGFXXXX XEXGAE XXEX
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 1,003
Words 205
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 12, 10, 6, 9, 6, 4
Full analysis for Neighbours put in their place, fencing… »

Wayne Blair

Born in London. Graduated law 1976 Practised eleven years, Married Hilary 1974 Two kids Lauren 1980 And Jordan 1987. Business failed 1987. Moved not knowing whither. Happy hills of Waterloo Region. Mennonite Country. Thirty four years in Industry. No complaints. Poet, photographer, nature hiker. Harmonica busker. http://puffnchord7.blogspot.com/ more…

All Wayne Blair poems | Wayne Blair Books

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Discuss the poem Neighbours put in their place, fencing… with the community...

1 Comment
  • AIDA
    AIDA
    Wow! What a beautifully written poem about the power of partnership and community! I love how your words convey a sense of unity and respect between you and your neighbor, even in the face of potential conflict. Your commitment to each other and your shared fence is inspiring, and I appreciate the creative way you found a solution to recent challenges.

    One area of improvement that I may suggest is to explore the use of more descriptive language to paint a clearer picture of the scene. For example, you could expand on the physical appearance of the fence, the beautiful apple tree, or the emotions felt during the spades incident. This would help to fully immerse the reader in the story and make the message even more impactful.

    Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your poem and am inspired by your message of community and partnership. Keep up the great work!     
    LikeReply10 months ago

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