MATTHEW NIENOWThe Shipwright's Prayer
O hammering body made of the teeth of saws, made of mallets turned on the lathe, o awl, o holy geometry of the try square and perfectly sharpened pencil, o jar of rust, catacomb for the nail, tap and die, o threaded vacancy in the wood, cantankerous plumb bob dangling from the high shelf, o tidy opening let into the case before the lead is cast, the impurities sent out in black smoke, o on switch and tripped breaker, dim light for bright work, fat bit chucked up, o feather board and C clamp, rough stock in a stack in the corner, o fence lock and push stick, o blade spinning in the machine–– send the news ahead of time; I will listen for your every word. 160 The Paris-American 
Matthew Nienow's work has recently appeared in Crazyhorse,
Narrative, New England Review, and Poetry.
A 2013 Ruth Lilly Fellow, he has also received fellowships and awards
from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Elizabeth George Foundation,
Artist Trust of Washington, and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.
"The Shipwright's Prayer" is included in his completed
manuscript, House of Water. Matthew lives in Port Townsend, Washington with his wife and
two sons, where he builds boats and works as a writer-in-residence at a small
independent school.
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Next week's poet:
Maya Catherine Popa 
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