Poem for Tuesday

Homing
By Calvin Forbes

The water's wonderful there
And the women aren't bad
Neither when you look at them
Twice, but the blame

Lies in that glass from the tap
For making me want to go back.
I went looking for where they get
It from but I got a ticket

For speeding; and when I said
I'm Mister Shine, a black ghost,
Cop said that's too bad.
Glow I was lost.

But my sermon is about the water,
How it's precious like family
When you wanting something familiar.
It made me happy--

It taste like baby's breath,
Like dew. I never knew sweeter water.
But I'm a spook's spook; I stole
This story from a dead man's mouth.

He was a preacher from Virginia
Who before he expired said:
Somewhere there's a well of sweet water.
Somewhere in Ohio or maybe Carolina.

--------

After a visit and lunch with Dementor Delta in Richmond, including a tour of her bookstore and Mexican food, we drove to Colonial Williamsburg, the world's largest living history museum restored to its 18th century grandeur as a successful British colony. I am currently sharing a hotel room with my children who are supposed to be sleeping so must keep this short, but here are a few photos from our visits to the weaver, basketmakers, harness and saddlemakers and one of the shops (outdoor photos of the village in the snow, including sheep and cats, to come later, plus my kids in the stocks):


A weaver explains the use of the cantilevered loom and the various dyes used to color the wool.


The range of color was pretty amazing and quite expensive in this wealthy colony. The indigo came from South Carolina by way of England where its value was marked up significantly.


The weaver -- traditionally a male profession, she explained -- also demonstrated spinning cotton and wool and explained the fabric treatment process, which were women's work: these are identically woven squares, but one was treated in warm water, the other in cold.


Basketmaking was also more properly work for women and children as well as slaves. On this cold day it was nice and warm by the fire in this house.


This is the harness and saddlemaker, who works with leather and animal skins.


And this is the proprietor of Greenhow's store...


...where one can buy practical items like these as well as lavender water, bayberry soap, tea sets, pewter serving dishes, children's toys and writing necessities.

We had dinner at a local IHOP because the inexpensive tavern was closed and we were too full from lunch for the very expensive inn. Then we watched The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which is still well-acted but really not well-written and not pleasing me -- suddenly Cameron, who fit in better than John at his old high school and talked to him like a normal girl, isn't remotely competent, and suddenly John knows more about the evolution of computers than Sarah does...that Singularity stuff? It's all about the BOY of course, give me a break, they might as well call it John Connor and His Mother. But I spent most of the evening glancing at the map and guidebook so we can go see lots of stuff Tuesday, when Dementor Delta is meeting us again. So will report in more detail after we see the cooper, the blacksmith, the silversmith and all the rest!