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Thanks, Andrew. I had better check with Dad about the number of hammer blows. Bill On 19/02/2015, at 11:47 AM, Andrew Burke wrote: > Liked it, Bill - and understood it all. I think 'portable' works - or it > did for me. I have a nephew here who is a lone builder - remodelled a back > shed into a wonderful studio for me, but didn't like people interrupting > him :-) > > I'll send him the poem, see what he makes of it. > > > Andrew > > On 19 February 2015 at 09:58, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> Thanks, Pat, Max, Doug. Jim is my father. 'Portable', Max, was meant to >> convey that he carried all his tools upon his person and his person moved >> with them. No returning to the tool shed or car to pick up stuff. Maybe it >> is not quite the word I seek. The fete, Doug, was full of toffs or at least >> white collar fathers, who wouldn't have known a hammer from a pencil >> sharpener. >> >> Bill >> >> >>> On 19 Feb 2015, at 4:42 am, Douglas Barbour <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >>> >>> Yes, neatly told, Bill. I was at first not sure if you needed all the >> description of the fete, but then the conclusion worked... >>> >>> Doug >>>> On Feb 18, 2015, at 8:11 AM, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >>>> >>>> One of your best, for me, Bill. >>>> >>>> Unfolds and concludes nicely nicely. >>>> >>>> 'portable' refers to what he carries? the toolbar? >>>> >>>> (I thought Jim was your neighbor but at the end he's family.) >>>> >>>> Max >>>> >>>> >>>>> On Feb 17, 2015, at 13:00, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> With four hammer blows >>>>> the three inch nail is flush. >>>>> That's counting the set-up tap. >>>>> >>>>> When the power goes off now >>>>> on a building site, carpenters >>>>> knock off for the day. >>>>> >>>>> In Jim's time, you just >>>>> got on with it. Power >>>>> was for the Sparkies. >>>>> >>>>> Stripped to the waist, >>>>> cracked leather tool bag >>>>> aproning his slight paunch, >>>>> >>>>> Jim put in steady days >>>>> on Bendigo housing blocks, >>>>> armed with his smooth, >>>>> >>>>> wooden-handled hammer, >>>>> nail punch, black-handled >>>>> builder's square rammed >>>>> >>>>> in his belt, flick-hinged >>>>> carpenter's rule and stubby, >>>>> flat, red pencil. A portable >>>>> >>>>> one-man constructor. >>>>> Even as I homeworked >>>>> over a desk as a teenager, >>>>> >>>>> on weekends, I knew >>>>> his presence, nails jangling >>>>> in that tool bag, interspersed >>>>> >>>>> with regular hammer blows, >>>>> some backyard project >>>>> always on the go. >>>>> >>>>> The fete on a Saturday >>>>> at the local grammar school, >>>>> saw well-heeled mothers, >>>>> >>>>> cardiganed fathers haggling >>>>> for bargains. Away from >>>>> trimmed doilies and napkins, >>>>> >>>>> a makeshift side-show >>>>> offered a pound note >>>>> to anyone who could drive >>>>> >>>>> a nail into thick board >>>>> in five or fewer blows. >>>>> I had to insist. >>>>> >>>>> Jim bought Choc Wedges >>>>> for the family, all five of us. >>>>> Proud, was I, as punch. >>>>> >>>>> bw >>>>> 17.2.15 >>> >>> Douglas Barbour >>> [log in to unmask] >>> >>> Recent publications: (With Sheila E Murphy) Continuations & Continuation >> 2 (UofAPress). >>> Recording Dates (Rubicon Press). >>> >>> that we are only >>> as we find out we are >>> >>> Charles Olson >>> >> > > > > -- > Andrew > http://hispirits.blogspot.com/ > 'Undercover of Lightness' > http://walleahpress.com.au/recent-publications.html > 'Shikibu Shuffle' > http://abovegroundpress.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/new-from-aboveground-press-shikibu.html >