In Ireland (and elsewhere) there is a tradition of 'dry stone walling' Walls, built without mortar, assembled by carefully selecting stones to fit together, leaving gaps to let the wind blow through, which keeps the wall from being blown over. These walls last hundreds, maybe thousands of years. Inspired by this, here is a poem I penned:
WORDS LIKE WALLS
Words like walls are built
Chosen carefully from the heap of language
Weighed and cast aside,
taken up again,
eyed and measured
tossed from hand to hand
Only for the gap are they chosen
to let in enough light and keep out enough wind.
Some are hewn,
most are searched for and chosen
paired off with suitable companions
they arise into an enclosure or a dike
hugging the mountain
built by man but like the work of God.
Words and stones, poems and walls
they break the back.
Roughen the hands
Test the mind
Gratify the heart.
Choose carefully
From your mound
Of language
To let the wind blow through
And let the light shine in.
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