before jesus was a twinkle
in some god’s eye
a chinese man gave thanks
to whomever invented the wheel
meaning he could shift the loads
that otherwise broke his wife’s back
and meant there was more chance
of hot rice with fish before bed

after all, as history notes,
so much depends
on the wheelbarrow

6 comments
Selected byRaymond Huffman
Jan Harper
Jan Harper

author bio: Jan Harper

 

Enjoyment of the written word is a gift I've been granted all my life; to have others enjoy what I write is another, more surprising one.

 

When a poet's words are read, minds connect at an infinitely intimate level.

 

My writing has appeared in various print publications, from single pieces to arrangements of 10, plus in numerous spots across the web over the past 20 years.

 

I'm an ex-Brit living in America with my husband, mother-in-law, dog, cats and chickens, plus coyotes, rabbits, deer, possums and other wild critters; when I'm not writing poetry, I can be found with my hands in the dirt, planting and growing a kaleidoscope of produce, or making jams and good meals from the harvest. Painting, knitting, needlecraft and more all express my love of creating.

 

(photo taken with my phone of a little spot near Southend, England, where I once sat and ate burger and chips as I contemplated being a mermaid)