When you make a straw man use
green straw Corn stalks are good still
sweet enough to twist and fill
full his denim legs and belly his
flannel arms and burlap head If there are
crickets singing when you make
your straw man hide one in
to give him a voice and song
Then stitch him up strong with
butcher's twine and mount him well
straightbacked with arms
broomsticked out Let the
seasons season him wind and sun
turn his torso left and right
shrink his stuffing and bleach
out his togs till he bobs and flaps
like any straw man should set
high among the earing corn the cricket
still bleeping from his dry throat
crows and grackles cracking back
When he's no more than tatters
streaming from a stake leave
him there among shuffling
cornstalks and bowed
sunflower heads to wait
his turn