By Jan Loudin
A red shirt bridges the prejudice
of dark jeans and white sheets
strung on a line between
back porch and crooked hickory pole.
Held fast by wooden pins, this
chorus line sways to the rhythm
of southwest breezes, only falling
out of step in sudden gusts.
Noon sun beats their world to
stillness, sucking moisture up,
up into heated air, becoming
cumulus clouds in far off Nebraska.
Released in late afternoon, fragrant
with mown grass and honeysuckle,
their dried stiffness neatly folded,
the red shirt maintains its vigilance
in the darkness of a tired wicker basket.
Copyright 2007 Jan Loudin
Jan Loudin wrote two children’s stories following an Artist’s Way workshop with fellow Orcas Islanders. One of them was a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference while the other, The Witch and the ‘Roo of Wicky Woo, was self-published. Jan joined an Orcas writers group, inspiring her to create adult short stories, novellas and, eventually, prose poems. Observing the daily beauty, intimacy and goings-on of the Islands tickles her fancy, prompting that urgent need to “write it down!” She happily lives and laughs with her husband Frank and their white standard poodle Spencer. (She also has to make time to help manage Frank’s art business.)
All work by Jan Loudin
