Chopping Wood

***Writing Tip: Take a recent experience and write about it in full sentences finding natural separation points to distinguish line breaks.***

I wasn't tired
but I had chopped wood
all day long.
My arm hurt a little
but not enough
for me to notice much.
There was sawdust everywhere
and it stuck to my jacket
irritating my skin.
The work gloves I wore
were five sizes too big
to fit Grandpa's swollen hands.
Chopping wood was better
than stacking the wood
at home.
Besides, throwing branches
and trunks kept my mind
off things for a while.
I wanted to do something
but I didn't know what
just something with my cousins.
I planned to go to the movie
with two of my cousins
who didn't like each other.
The movie was hard
it made me cry
and cling to James.
I worried about myself
but we couldn't talk
he was too busy for me.
The day afterward
I found out
he was touched by it too.
I had reason
to be worried
about both of us.
Chopping wood
chopping hearts
chopping up our lives.







pulling up sleeves