“god rides a lawnmower”

Published in The Magnolia Review

By Jennifer Christgau-Aquino

         there are poppies now 

     in between the road

   and between

                   lupine rising in 

        my wildwood lungs

   where I swear garbage 

              grew as thrown grace 

    into pits 

                   of chip bags 

            and striped straws    

               the poppies have a

               forcing strength

       like the lucky poor 

                 tarantula with eyes

               that can not see 

                   but feels wind 

                in his silk hairs

         unless 

                  the gardener 

                 rides a tractor

      slicing poppies and 

                  lupine with
               a thick blade 

         and headphones

         making me think 

            all the spaces 

                    between  

                           us

       it’s what it is 

          to be and 

nothing more