He Kills Everything That Lives
poem
Published in
Jun 14, 2023
An apocalyptic graveyard of his own making
He loves the vibrancy of his shorn green grass
Beheaded, squashed down, breathless
Lifeless, the stringent edges of his shaved hedge
Clipped and snipped into hard lines and edges
He kills everything that lives
With weed killer and pesticide
Pruned limbs of apple trees
Pinned to the wall like a sacrifice
Dead heads the roses , rakes up the leaves
His garden is a battlefield
Nothing breathes unless he lets it
He basks in the glory
Tales a break in the mid-day sun
His flowers line up like troops
His plants stand to attention
It’s soundless, soulless, slipping away
He oversees destruction but sees only glory
