thistle, image by Elsemargriet, on Pixabay
Pretty Invisible
Nobody notices
the lovely little landscapes
encircled by highway on / off ramps.
Little Edens bloom there,
gangly grass waltzes with itself in spring breeze,
free trees launch limbs wherever they please,
and wildflowers poke their lavish crowns
through fertile dirt to serenade the dusk.
These miniature paradises are caged
in whirlpools of rush hour traffic twirling
counterclockwise. Drivers’ eyes are
hypnotized by the buzz of busyness,
ears clogged by the slog of creaking cogs.
We’re blind to His needle-finger reaching down,
deaf to the green vinyl record spinning its lament:
There’s nothing
more common,
more tragic,
than beauty unseen.
Cody Adams is an English Teacher from Buffalo, NY. His poetry has appeared
in Ekstasis Magazine, Heart of Flesh, Cacti Fur, among others. He received the
2016 Clarence Amann award for his short story “Unstuck.” He also serves as
a Board Member for Forefront Festival.
March 2024 issue