Take Heart: A Conversation in Poetry: Sardine Packer

Edited and introduced by Wesley McNair, Maine Poet Laureate

This reader’s choice poem from a past column comes from Allison Williams of Alfred. She writes: “‘Sardine Packer’ is posted over my desk because it states exactly what packing sardines was like. I never did it but a friend did; her picture and obituary is posted with the poem.”

Sardine Packer by Tom Sexton

The moon drew the bay to itself
like a lover at full tide 
when I was young and full of life. 
Oh, I could make my scissors dance.

Silver fish spilled from every net,
and all my days were buttery 
when I worked at the cannery. 
Oh, I could make my scissors dance.

My children came to see me work. 
I was the fastest on the line. 
They liked to slide in herring slime. 
Oh, I could make my scissors dance.

The new owner won’t come to town 
to watch us nip and cut and pack. 
He bought and gave us all the sack. 
Oh, I could make my scissors dance.

My daughter’s made her final bow. 
My grandson’s crying on my knee. 
But they can’t live on scenery. 
Oh, I could make my scissors dance.

Summer people come here now 
to walk along the quiet bay. 
I had my time. I had my day. 
Oh, I could make my scissors dance.

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Take Heart: A Conversation in Poetry is produced in collaboration with the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance. Poem copyright © 2012 Tom Sexton. Reprinted from Bridge Street at Dusk, Loom Press, 2012, by permission of Tom Sexton. Questions about submitting to Take Heart may be directed to Gibson Fay-LeBlanc, Special Consultant to the Maine Poet Laureate, at mainepoetlaureate@gmail.com or 207-228-8263. Take Heart: Poems from Maine, an anthology collecting the first two years of this column, is now available from Down East Books.