God grabs a handful of reeds

to relieve an itch in his nose

 

lifts the emerald bundle to

inside his nostrils lined with gold 

 

scratches them up and down

‘til his ticklish urges subside

 

pulls the straws out half-dipped

like fence paint dripped and dried

 

their marshy roots dangle

in fish-scented air

 

God pushes’m back to the muck

swamp stills to a mirror

 

reeds dote over

their golden reflections

 

new bodies adored  

despite imperfections

 

blonde blends to caramel to emerald

telling their snotty story

 

straws strut in the breeze

reminiscing their moment of glory

 

 

© Candice Reineke 2020