Hardwood

poetry

about literature

of the American Southwest

of the American South Central

of Eighteenth Century England and Scotland

of the oilfield

of other literature

about language

American Dialect

Cowboy Dialect in Print

about writing

Writing

about other subjects

nature art, travel, teaching, parenting, grandparenting husbanding

 

Been cutting on that tree
about a life
little change
hard wood
I like cutting
going to keep it up
hands a bit sore
knife's not sharp
people been nodding
shaking their heads
watching me cut
going away
I stay at it
glad they're gone
keeping on
one fellow said
"Man, you crazy."
no smile
me neither
on and on
another said
"You cut that tree,
you be famous."
maybe,
but
I have committed right
and wish to admit my true
for chameleons know sure
one tree when we are old
running about roots in wile
and heat, wise into the way
of phloem and xylem
we seekers of hardwood
with a small knife.

 

Poems

Home of Dick Heaberlin Writes

Orange House Books

Our Writing Workshops

My Writing Books

English Syntax— A Guide to the Grammarof Successful Writers — Heaberlin's Writing Style 1

Connecting for Coherence — an Applied Systematic Study of How Good Writers Connect Information With Syntax and Logic— Heaberlin's Writing Style 2

English Diction— a Guide to Selecting Appropriate Words— Explanations and Exercises — Heaberlin's Writing Style 3

A Guide to English Usage, Punctuation, and Mechanics — Explanations and Exercises — Heaberlin's Writing Style 4

Other Books of Interest

 

Dick Heaberlin's Website
at Texas State University

Center for the Study of the Southwest at Texas State University

Southwest Regional Humanities Center at Texas State University
Email Dick Heaberlin