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10th May, 2024

Friday Poem – ‘All this accumulation of knowledge’ by Ilse Pedler

Calf licking the fingers of a vet

This week’s Friday Poem is ‘All this accumulation of knowledge’ by Ilse Pedler from her collection Auscultation.

All this accumulation of knowledge
how to duck under barbed wire without breaking stride
which end of a gate to climb over
a familiarity with latches
when to use a gypsy twitch to calm a fractious mare
the safest place to stand behind a cow
the knots farmers tie in baler twine
which calf needs to curl its rough tongue
around your fingers to learn to drink from a bucket
the ferocity of mothers
where to find the sweet spot behind an old boar’s ear
and by scratching it – bring him to his knees
the gauges of needles
the voice to use to soothe a fearful dog
an acquaintance with the silences of cats
the irregularities of heartbeats
whether skin can be coaxed and anchored over gaps
the balance of a scalpel between fingers
the different colours of blood
why looking away is sometimes the best option
how life leaves through the backs of eyes
when to tighten a grip – when to let go.