Death #1

there is no symbolic figure
comprehensive or tall enough
to contain each errant cloud

this becomes a problem when
faced with a feast of exoplanets
with changeable atmospheres

I could fall back on a
melted-face skeleton with
a farm supply store scythe

a bureaucrat from human resources
who keeps checking a smart phone
during the exit interview

the green and blue of Earth’s
visible radiation spectrum
says “look at me!”

red maple tree seeds
whirlybird their way
into my heart

RK [ 7/17/22]