Reader Steve Butler found himself visited by The Muse last week, and he sent us the result – an ode to the cabinetmaker. Enjoy!

AWAKEN THE WOOD
 
A cabinetmaker’s hands move over the wood
Checking to see if the pattern is good.  
Making sure that the grain lines up as it should
The cabinetmaker’s hands move over the wood.
 
The design in his head had troubled his brain
But he smiled as he worked when each answer came
Passing wood through his saw he reached for his plane
Joining the corners and squaring the frame
 
Fitting a drawer ’til it’s trim and it’s true
And easily glides before he gets through
Or adjusting a hinge to give it its due
Restoring the work or making it new
 
Beauty and strength of wood are his trade
As it pleases the eye in the things that he’s made
Taking pride in his tools when honing each blade
Clearing his bench where they’re carefully laid
 
His shop smells of oak, cherry and pine
Waxes and oils his pieces refined
Bringing to life things well designed
Withstanding the test of the passage of time
 
The beauty inside is released as he sands
The man seems to know what his heart understands
With his eye for proportion and the skill it demands
He passes his spirit through the tools in his hands
 
A tree in the forest asleep as it stood
‘Til the cabinetmaker’s hands awakened the wood.