the chopping block

the oak is green and full of knots. the heavy axe drops with a dull thud. a sharp crack bounces off the aluminum siding. yellow grain tears open like raw meat. splinters fly into the wet grass. it takes four hours of swinging. four hours to feed the iron stove. just to keep the front room warm. the shoulders always give out first. the blade sticks in the chopping block. a stray cat sits on the fence. there is one flat beer left on the porch step.