Nancy Dillingham

In the Garden

fall, from the Old English feallan, to fall down

Under molten skies
She spies
Henry
black-as-indigo
field hand

spread out
like a week’s washing
against the fence stobs
head back
arms akimbo

She opens 
her mouth
ready to go
into her familiar
rigamorole

Henry, you been out all night —
got tight — didn’t make it home?

When 
she sees
he’s still
as some old
scarecrow

while a bird 
pecks at
one of his eyes
as if his face were
a discarded corncob