Death by Painting

Climb ladder,
to paint soffits 
below the gutters.

Scrape, scrape, scrape.
Spackle, spackle, spackle.
Sand, sand, sand.
Brush, brush, brush primer.
Move ladder.

Working with an
entertaining crew of saltys
in A.A. and N.A. or
active in their addictions.

Hornets nest.
Fly down the ladder.
Climb back up with hornet spray.
No stings today.

Once between the eyes,
my head swelled like a mellon
and my eyes turned Asian.

Climb ladder.
Scrape, scrape, scrape.
Spackle, spackle, spackle.
Sand, sand, sand.
Prime, prime, prime.
Move ladder.

Change the radio station.

Wash out the brush 
with garden hose
and wire brush.

First coat of finish.
Move ladder.

Coffee break.

Second Coat of finish.

Move to the 
other side of house
and repeat.

LUNCH.
Actually 
watch
paint
dry
on
walls.

Move to other
side of house
and repeat.

Sun in eyes,
sweat in eyes,
paint droplets
in eye and ears.

Left knee 
sometimes aches.
Some get a tennis elbow -
Is there a
painter's elbow
syndrome?

I scratch my 
face giving myself
a make out bandit
paint mustache.

Feeling tired from
physical labor,
heat and humidity,
I drink another coffee,
turn up the radio,
and find the strength to
work until 4:30pm.

Wax on, 
wax off.
Paint up,
paint down.
I should have
been a martial arts
expert a decade ago 
according to the
Karate Kid.

Paint chips
in my
socks, shoes
and underwear.

At least a 
root canal
only takes
an hour.