Monday, April 22, 2019

Where the Garden Was

This is where we kept the breaks
This is where the walnuts stood
This is where we found the stand
This is where
This is where
This is where

This is where the garden was

Jutting out from space
In the middle
On the top

This is where the misplaced lingered
This is where the frantic stopped
This is where you asked a question
This is where
This is which
This is why we left the garden

This is where the garden was

Five men standing
In a circle

One thing laying
In the middle

All around a corner’s eye
Catch the breeze
Cock your ear

Try to hear
Try to hear

This is what the men were doing
This is what we boarded up
This is burgundy temptation
This is where
This is how
This is when we made a run for it

And where the garden was

This is practicing for Sunday
This is teacups on the lawn
This is ferocious inactivity
And dueling steps at dawn

This is where the living fall apart
And where the luscious thrive

This is where
We get our bearings

This is where
This is where nothing survives

Funny hats on tender women
Fingernails on the luck

Navy dresses
Nickel pit stops
Girl detectives
Coy and crazy

In the patter
There’s a slipshod

Creaking open
Asking nice

All’s forgiven
Caustic laughter

This is where
The garden was

On the evening
Of the entry
There was no one
In the house

Just the garden
Just the outside
Just the friendly
Just the men

Here’s a name for those who strangle
Here’s a poultice for their wounds

Call the pastor
Get his blessing
Don’t forget
He died last week

This is where we spend our summer
And our winter
And our fall

This is devastating intrigue
Better off
Better all

Here’s the blooming navigation
Here’s a trick
But for the blind

This is where I learned
My alphabet

And where I found
The time

Haunted meadows
In the distance

Much too far
For us to run

This is paltry
Never noticing
The flowers
Or the sun

We could never
Walk back anyway

So we stayed
Because, because…

This is where
We knew each other

And this is where
The garden was

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