Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Testing for Marine Grade

Certified marine grade plywood
used for boats is stress
tested by boiling,
freezing, boiling again
and freezing once more.

The layers must stand up to pressure
without the lamination springing apart
under duress. It's not impervious
to water, but if joints and surfaces
are finished properly it
will stand up to wet and damp
without leaking as long
as maintenance requirements
are met.

I'm his workmanship, his poema.
He must have ordered marine grade
to build me. I feel some ribs creak
and the hull shudder, but I'm holding
together, maintaining momentum.
Elasticity keeps me from the scrap heap.