In Praise of Banging

Let's praise the simplicity of a hammer
forever banging its head against a nail
in hope of moving it through thick and thin
sometimes swung with mighty force
other times with subtlety and finesse

we aren't speaking here of its cousin
Jack, with sound enough to hurt
uncovered ears, or the electrified
relatives that need charging at night,

no, our attention is to the simple
everyday kind that sits in a tool chest waiting
for a chosen moment, content in knowing
that no one gets by with just a screwdriver
or drill, everyone needs a trusty,
well shaped, well balanced
hammer for something as simple
as tapping into place a picture hook
or installing new kitchen shelves

hammers are the basic tool of life
if you don't believe me put
sharpie black mark on garage wall
every time you use one ...