Another new place, another new yard.
No matter how carefully you inspect,
there are always surprises waiting
in the lathing and frames:
a window that always sticks,
a cantankerous sink that spits scalding water,
a bloom of mildew on a basement wall.
In spring, one can expect beds
of ragged perennials around the hedges,
some unkempt bulbs,
an unsuccessful herb garden
where the spearmint persists,
but what of these long stalks
springing up here and there on the lawn,
where the grass gives no hint
of former landscaping?
Like discovering bones of unknown soldiers,
buds unfurl flags of a forgotten nation,
pale pink, a faint tinge of blue.
Lauren Scharhag is the author of twelve books, including Requiem for a Robot Dog (Cajun Mutt Press) and High Water Lines (Prolific Press). Her work has appeared in over 100 literary venues around the world. Recent honors include the Seamus Burns Creative Writing Prize and two Best of the Net nominations. She lives in Kansas City, MO. To learn more about her work, visit: www.laurenscharhag.blogspot.com
Change Seven Magazine 