FREEVERSE
The Last Seeds
Lit Up — April’s Prompt: Distraction
every type of antelope stumps me
no memory for species
can take a crossword puzzle
straight to the recycle bin
onto the next thing I can do
violence rises in season two
binge-watching holes in the head
I only like the tension
up to the blood point
must stay in motion, must not breathe
but to melt deeper into this
storm I can handle,
the rotation is constant,
those time-lapse clouds
passing for reality
and still, April’s almost gone
and all the garden’s doing
is volunteering one
strawberry from last year
when my distractions seemed
actually productive
mourning, healing, mourning
a fence is up, a puppy is trained
avoidance, writing, avoidance
a school year passes
my child is ten
I lift my head to hear
the blue jays fight
over the last seeds
outside my window
Samantha Lazar 2021
