what’s left of summer then
cherry tomatoes dying thirsty on sunburned vines
the rose of sharon still blooms for benefit
of butterflies and honey bees
the sparrows have returned and we get just enough rain
that the yard needs mowing

we survived the cicada year counting dead robins
counting too the ones too stubborn to just die
blind wing damaged brain broke but defiant
fighting the ground just another exoskeleton that needs abandoning
some reminder some remaining marginalia