~ Delta Poetry Review ~

Terry Trowbridge

Introducing Carrot to Orchard

Time’s arrow orange forking

through loamy stratigraphy

strikes the mouse-deep clay where

microbiomes freeze in inert soil

and roots dare not squeeze

except upon that otherwise prunus-only soil patch

a row of carrots carrots carrots thundercrashing

Artemis shots, Chronos cuts, Hephaestus nails,

the fiery blazing tongues of flame

that burn from the oil braziers on the temple stairs

of Demeter, turned upside-down they are the spikes

on Demeter’s crown when she takes her turn as Liberty

freeing mortals from hunger at the time of harvest

Terry Trowbridge is grateful to the Ontario Arts Council for his first writing grant, and their support of so many other writers during the polycrisis.