Cellar Remains

  

Playmates won't slide down this cellar 

door. It is gone like the house above. 

Rocks split on the grain 

were dry stacked flush 

by hard hands.

 An artist holding hammer 

and chisel raised the puzzle 

one row at a time. 

Small rocks 

fill empty spaces

 between 

big ones balancing careful 

until corners meet 

woven and strong. 

This cool dark hole 

preserved harvest well

until the long winter was done.

Homestead wives 

went down stairs outside 

to the store around 

   the corner  

      underneath 

         their porch.