an elevensie from Kerri Shying’s “Knitting Mangrove Roots”

Note: an ‘elevensie’ is a poem form with the title in the middle and five lines on either side.

how about I sleep out here tonight 
final evening   let the ropes    tighten 
to the dew     hold the shape of days 
before the road and home    inhale me
set me once again 
                                   to use 
on trickier palaver   Kent pumpkins 
after hand-pollination and the 
herbs we need for winter   altar 
blooms to go in  I am already one 
hand in the pantry    broody hen