Three Octets from a Wednesday

Kerby Ave Aspects of the Moon Octet

(5/10/17)

where the white dogwood bracts lay open in noon

light: full moons by the dozen; the cabbage white

floating amongst the bluebells: another moon

moving across a blue sky; the rickety

pergola’s naked archway leads toward that

gray-shingled cottage—does anyone live there?

hours still until tonight's moon comes in view;

the cabbage white rises above the lilacs

◦           ◦            ◦

Vancouver Ave Childhood Octet

(5/10/17)

the ladybug moves down the rose leaf’s slope

like a drop of water down a slight incline--

the wasp darts from stem to stem as each angles

out from chain link like these photons scattering

in brilliant noon; the cabbage white threads between

three plastic rocking horses guarding front steps

like a breeze from a spring afternoon you half

recollect, half tell yourself in this story

◦           ◦            ◦

Greenwich Ave Gardening Octet
(5/10/17)

in one raised bed a cracked green teapot next to

a bent tomato cage listing slightly north—

one vermilion metal hummingbird, larger

than life, & one pale yellow watering can

found in a second—two pink flamingos, shards

of a ceramic vase show up in a third—

the beds yield their crop of dandelion clocks

& each one’s set to a different hour

Jack Hayes

© 2017