Picture
Alexandra Writers' Centre
  • Home
    • About >
      • The History
      • The Mission
      • The Team
      • The Board of Directors
      • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
      • Our Sponsors
    • Contact
  • Membership
    • Member Showcase >
      • A Poem a Day
      • Two Truths and a Lie
  • Services
    • Current Courses and Workshops >
      • Chapter by Chapter
    • J Michael Fay Subsidy Program
    • ABLit Book Club
    • Annual Writers Retreat
    • Author Development Program
    • Books, Gifts and More...
    • Get Lit Writer Series
    • Manuscript Review Service
    • Many Voices Monthly Writing Contest
    • Writer in Residence Program
    • Writes of Summer - 2023 Short Story Challenge
  • Events
    • When Words Collide 2024

Marriage by stephen price

11/4/2023

1 Comment

 
Picture
Here's the thing:
 
When you decide to build a new deck, you need to buy all the materials
the lumber (composite wood so it lasts longer), cement, deck screws, tools, hangers
 
the list goes on and on
 
Go ahead and have it all delivered, but it can't just sit in a pile in the garage.
 
It won't build itself.
 
So you need to get started and you don't have a lot of experience with this sort of thing
which means along the way mistakes will be made
angles won't match up and lengths will be mismeasured.
There will be splinters and cuts and sometimes you'll drop something on your foot and that really hurts and causes  you to swear loudly for which you should apologize later.
 
Invariably
you will have to go back and redo something because you'll realize you made a mistake and everything will be wrong if you don't fix it.
 
Sometimes you have to go back to the store because there was something you didn't order in the beginning and had no idea that you would need it later.
Invariably.
 
It's a lot of work building a deck but you persevere and when you finish it does not look like you thought it would look, but it is strong and level and lovely to sit on when the weather is nice.
 
And in the winter it will be covered in snow, but underneath all that snow it is still there.
 
And when the snow melts and disappears, it will be a new season but your deck will still be strong and level and lovely to sit on when the weather is nice.
 
You will not regret building it.
1 Comment
Allison Brigden
17/4/2023 12:44:15 pm

Steve, you are so right. Nothing build itself, and little turns out as we think it will, and yet is strong and level and lovely. Thank you for building decks (and fences) that, in your hands, invariably, are far more than wood and nails.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    SUBMIT YOUR POEMS

    The Alexandra Writers Centre is full of so many wonderful writers from all backgrounds. We are pleased to be able to showcase some of the fabulous poets during poetry month and beyond. Keep sending us your poetry and we will publish on a rolling basis. We look forward to showcasing your work. 

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture

Home

Course and Workshops

About

Contact


Membership

Adult Program

Special Programming

Events

Youth Program

Literacy Education

Alexandra Writers' Centre Society
460, 1721, 29th Ave SW
Calgary, AB T2T 6T7


403.264.4730
General Inquiries: info@alexandrawriters.org
  • Home
    • About >
      • The History
      • The Mission
      • The Team
      • The Board of Directors
      • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
      • Our Sponsors
    • Contact
  • Membership
    • Member Showcase >
      • A Poem a Day
      • Two Truths and a Lie
  • Services
    • Current Courses and Workshops >
      • Chapter by Chapter
    • J Michael Fay Subsidy Program
    • ABLit Book Club
    • Annual Writers Retreat
    • Author Development Program
    • Books, Gifts and More...
    • Get Lit Writer Series
    • Manuscript Review Service
    • Many Voices Monthly Writing Contest
    • Writer in Residence Program
    • Writes of Summer - 2023 Short Story Challenge
  • Events
    • When Words Collide 2024