by Scott W. Williams
Waamp! Waamp! Waamp!
Bing! bing!
Waamp! Waamp! Waamp!
Bing! da bing!
I love the rhythm and sound.
Hammer on the steel & anvil.
I love the flexing of muscles
in arm, shoulders, and back.
Attention minus thinking as I hammer.
Waamp! Waamp! Waamp!
bing da bing!
Search! Remove fire impurities.
Metal filings and stones steal heat.
Shovel more coal and grow heat.
I love the heat against my face.
Make a white hot cave of coal
To put the rod in the cave.
Waamp! Waamp! Waamp!
bing da bing!
The rod’s black shifts, reddening comes.
Sun-white sparking starting to burn steel.
Ungloved hand holding other end of steel.
Lift steel from cave to the big anvil.
The striking hammer hand relaxed.
Mind is silent, observant.
Time to forge metal onto itself.
Welding steel, Waamp! Waamp!
Hit anvil rhythm, bing!
To weld steel Waamp! Waamp! Waamp!
Anvil rhythm goes, bing da bing!
Hit steel, Waamp! Waamp!
Forged until molecules attached.
The two places are now one.
Mind remains silent, observant
Prepared to change metal’s shape.
Prepared to change my attitude.
— from Juniper Volume 3, Issue 1