He built it the old way
Paid attention to the grain of the wood
Ran his hands across the face of each board
You can feel what you can’t see
He cut each joint with chisel and saw
Dovetailed drawers and tenoned rails are best
Fit them tight and check them with the fingers
You can feel what you can’t see
This one would be plain
No fancy carvings or ornamentation
The beauty would be hidden in the workmanship
You can feel what you can’t see
Drawers that slide smooth as silk
Doors that close with a satisfying click
Shellac applied with an ox-hair brush
You can feel what you can’t see
A thousand people would see it
Generations of hands would touch it
Maybe only one or two would be touched back
If you pay attention
You can feel what you can’t see