My friend Anita who is visiting NS posted a photo of her son, Finn, at the exhibition looking at oxen. It reminding me of an old poem.

 The Pull

oxen ready

ropes attached

smell of manure and sweat

heat and flies hover like a cloud

 master nods: gee-ha

 eyes steady, straight

in unison they push forward

muscles tight against the ropes

 no movement

 then the power is set free

1,000 pound weights

move an inch, two

 I sit with words as weights

within me

listening for the gee – ha

 with the effort of a prize team

I put the first word down

another

one at a time

I write this poem