good elephant pottery

A Poem for My Pugmill

6/14/2011

my shoulder and wrists remember
wedging all they could withstand
drove 400 miles with a dozen benjamins
to buy you secondhand

took practice to get to know you
at first too messy, sticky, or dense
years later your virtue is measured in tons
my gratitude more immense

recycled is better than new
perfectly soft and already round
easy to center, easier to portion
two inches equals one pound

a potter's work can overwhelm
mindful of fatigue and morale
a little help from heavy machinery
my indispensable pal

4 Comments

Lydia Joy link

6/15/2011 11:04:31 am

I love this! I think I will print it out and post it by our pugmill at work = )

littlewrenpottery link

6/20/2011 06:57:29 pm

This is very sweet, how cute! I'm sure your pug mill is feeling the love today : )

Hilary Huntley link

6/28/2011 02:12:45 pm

Love the peom! I am saving up a little every week toward my future pugmill. Currently, I reclaim a pailful of clay from the throwing sludge and trimmings from the last few days a couple of times a week. I also wanted to let you know that I went up island to get more clay yesterday and made a point of finding the ceramics monthly that had your article in it. I just finished it and enjoyed it a lot. I am about the same vintage as you (starting in 1996) and went pro (quit my career) back in 2006 paying the bills/mortgage since then with pots.
It was a breath of fresh air to find out about a real potter born after the second world war, hahahahhaaaa. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with the rest of us!!

Sheri White link

11/27/2021 10:41:47 am

…..and mine has dried out. Any rhymes about taking your pugmill apart and cleaning it? Something I can hum to, just a little ditty, I can drum to. Something that will remind me that I’m dumb, too.

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A Poem for My Pugmill

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