Sewing by Day – Carol Smallwood

A chair by a window is best for selecting pieces in quilt making:
light of day, natural light, best reveals shades, flaws in pieces
of boxes on boxes of clothes carefully cut—a slow undertaking;
quilt after quilt has made my children question output increases.

Light of day, natural light, best reveals shades, flaws in pieces.
“Who’s your quilts for?” I’m asked as stacked quilts grow higher.
Quilt after quilt has made my children question output increases
and I picture the stacks after I’m gone going up in a night pyre.

“Who’s your quilts for?” I’m asked as stacked quilts grow higher:
plaid, plain, striped, flowered, flannel, fleece, denim, cotton
and I picture the stacks after I’m gone going up in a night pyre—
memories stored in cut clothes and pieces not yet forgotten.

Plaid, plain, striped, flowered, flannel, fleece, denim, cotton
of boxes on boxes of clothes carefully cut—a slow undertaking:
memories stored in cut clothes and pieces not yet forgotten.
A chair by a window is best for selecting pieces in quilt making.

CAROL SMALLWOOD

Carol Smallwood’s fourth poetry collection, In Hubble’s Shadow, and her first essay collection, Interweavings, was just released from Shanti Arts. A multi-nominee for the Pushcart, she has founded and supports humane societies and started taking creative writing classes after returning to college.