Hedges

they are all trimming
their lawn
even while the children
cough and rasp
they are all edging
their yards
even while the people
down the street
worry about their cash
flow
they are all painting daisy
and marigold portraits
in their backyards, sipping
sangria and talking
about their glory days
while the coast dips 
into the ocean, while
the lava builds up
in their love lives.


JD DeHart,
a writer and teacher from Tennessee.