Bent Nails

We destroyed the back shed today
Decayed wood remains left after the fray
With jagged old nails poking out
“Bang the nails bent”, my husband did shout.

“Bang the nails bent”, I instructed my Son.
“With the nails jutting out they could hurt someone”.
And when those nails refused to lie down
We wrenched the nails out and hurled ‘em to the ground.

Abiding old nails bent over the wood
Ceased to appear as true nails should
Twisted; tormented in the sun
Now they are bent they won’t hurt anyone

We stacked wood into orderly piles
Rows and rows extending for miles
We hoped the bundles be stolen away
So to the curb they were placed at the end of the day.

The wood stacks tethered in twine
Ancient nails, in the moonlight still shine
By the roadside discarded for free
Tamed and bent nails can’t hurt you or me.

© Strauss
25/04/06