I’m sitting on the pavement knitting
sunflowers, eating cheddar
cheese. Remembering better days. Times
with space enough and
more.
Hardback books lined my walls and
I hung my satchel on a
nail before sitting in
front of the
fireplace drinking wine, and
tossing
my empty glass onto the hearth.
Days it was cold enough to
need a fire. Seasoned oak was piled
high in the wood room.
Not like now. Not like
now.
Ho, wow. This was fun! I love the fabulist imagery of “knitting sunflowers” while eating cheddar cheese! It seems completely silly and random, but, at the same time, it makes complete sense. I love this line, “Times with space enough and more.” – and how that lends an ominous tone to the imagery that follows. That there were “better” days indeed, though we don’t know what has caused the shift away – away from what seemed a great life (who smashes their glass after they’re done drinking! luxurious!) and it being cold enough to need/desire a fire – but no longer. Oh. Hmmm. Sad then, it would seem, and driven home with the repetition, as though the speaker is standing there, shaking their head in dismay. Quite powerful!
I’ve been listening to Bob Dylan lately in the middle of a heat wave so that probably influenced this one. I did enjoy writing it.