Terence Degnan

Plumb

back when I fixed houses// I used to eyeball// terms of the trade// from a bird’s// view// A carpenter would//
ask in tradesman tongue// is it plumb// From lath// I’d drape a bob// say in a mustered tone// it’s plumb//
Now that the hand has gone dumb// I wonder// Its etymological birth, where// plumb, adj.// a line, from
graphite to aplomb// hangs exposed, although// shaky on the details,

how plumb they’d say —there’s only one—

good; enough; done