gathering eggs
When we visited my grandfather’s farm in the 1960s, boredom was never a problem. Every day brought a new discovery or learning. One of the best activities was to help in the gathering of eggs.
~
gathering eggs
~
first breath after rooster presses
crowbar under sun catches
dew in the three-angled strawberry leaves
and light pings sapphire,
red, amber, emerald to opening eyes
I see Dandy waiting
black and white counterpoint to rainbow
~
he greets me, ignores
the chickens scratching
along random lines, we trek
to the barn together
push the man-door, open the pen
~
Diane has promised a gather
of eggs, shows me how
to shoo the hen, part the straw,
roll the egg into my hand,
build the stack in the basket
set each in a three-angled
cradle of eggs
~
Dandy watches the rooster
red comb and wattles,
amber neck, iridescent tail
ignores white eggs and chickens
~
~
Previously published as ‘gathering eggs’, Canadian Stories 15 (84), April 2012
Copyright Jane Tims 2012
nichepoetryandprose 
Thanks for the memories. The poem and the drawing wonderfully describe gathering eggs.
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Sheryl
November 6, 2012 at 1:03 am
Hi. Glad you liked the post. Jane
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jane tims
November 6, 2012 at 9:38 am
This is wonderful! I also love the words “rooster presses crowbar under the sun”. Although I’ve never gathered eggs, I could feel the excitement, the wet grass, the dew, and I could hear the faithful companionable panting of Dandy….I do hope Dandy is a dog, yes?
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weedimageoftheday
November 5, 2012 at 10:43 am
Hi. Yes, Dandy is a dog. He was always faithful company on our various romps. A black and white collie. I’ll post a drawing of him sometime. Thanks for the comment… it is nice to know what resonates with readers! Jane
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jane tims
November 5, 2012 at 7:21 pm
I love the memories your posts and poems conjure from my childhood. I remember doing this and helping to candle the eggs before my grandfather took them to market on Fridays. I like the colours of the sunrise and the colours of the rooster, the echoes there. The crowbar raising the sun…great images.
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Carol Steel
November 5, 2012 at 7:36 am
Hi Carol. Thanks for the specific feedback. This is one of the poems submitted to a publisher as part of a book proposal. I won’t hear back for a few months, but I can always hope! Jane
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jane tims
November 5, 2012 at 8:28 am