“Feeling Minnesota”

Feeling Minnesota / Jennifer Christgau-Aquino

(Published in Third Wednesday)

You were born of this place Your bones of corn
husky in July on a flat blue sky

Your voice of an organ arranged
in the field on Sundays
hymns bending orphan walnut trees

Your hands of a splinter sharp scythe whipping through ears
until they shake pennies into books

Your blood of Rose Creek cutting awful, pretty
through untillable wasted groves

Your marrow of soy seeds scattered into rows
soiled by industry and presidents

Your heart of a house, falling in on itself clapboard and leaded glass

cases for keeping your futures

Jennifer Christgau-Aquino San Mateo, California