on magic gardens & corner lots

sit in an oversized office chair at an undersized writing desk, tucked in a small corner of a large, climate-controlled room. ponder & pound piles of paper. black ink on white. blue ink on yellow. strands of syllables. tightly knotted loops. mottled & muddled. blended shades of gray conceal & constrict. fruit loops at three & six. cheerios at nine. cracker jacks in the breakroom. the sun on the other side of the window. sweat. air turns sour. screened & locked. heavy canvas blocks rays. tireless tasks dictate days. computers blip. screens ping. no time to slack. cloud cover pervasive. discs & discord always on. i shuffle slots & shift my gaze. my eyes lock. the far-right corner reimagined. reverie & recollections revisited. a corner lot with fresh roots. the kind of every city. simultaneously situated in plain sight. reclaimed sites. tucked & trimmed of backyard angles. in abandoned garages. all alleys avenues for seeds & seasonal sensibility. dragons breathe fire in nearby quarters. pennies flip. heads over tails. seize the smallest pockets of air. between here & the rails. of then. & now. of messages in bottles.

14 (+) ways/reasons to claim a corner lot (sanctuary)

1. Shoo flies. Welcome flight. Of avians, animals, & mammals.
2. Apply seed to soil. Apply water to seed. Take a seat. Wait. Awhile.
3. Tame dragons with distance. Decorate doors with decadence.
4. Embrace scene. Do not be seen.
5. Inhale quickly. Exhale slowly.
6. Hang laundry. Not people. Stream ribbons. Not hate.
7. Stitch messages of hope & happenstance. Bottle minutes of music & memories.
8. Share space with mice & men.
9. Observe smokestacks in solitude.

on magic gardens & corner lots

10. Stock & stash claims on peace & mind.
11. Trade testimony for time.
12. Stream lyrics (of personal choosing). Strain water (for personal clarity).
13. Remain mindful. Place versus home. Home versus habitat.
14. Attend to puzzles (crosswords & cross stitch). Puzzle performance (crosshairs & cross words).