Who Knew New Grass

Who Knew New Grass?

When impact is

                instant when it is

                in the bone like a post hole digger

                raised high as the sky

                of wrists and torso

                to come down into it all

                at one precious point

                and the surface is pierced

                and the soil is suffered

                separated falling into the jaws

                to be lifted out and sent

                sod side up

                to its new uprooted thirst

                                

The first time

                you touch a girl it’s this

                hydraulic rift from shoulder

                to elbow to wrist to finger-

                tip

                in the cautious but not

                hot air it’s up

                and not meant to hover

                under the weight

                and the burning is loud

                as a basement draft

                pulled up the wall by only opening

                the door who knew

                in the box of old books

                beside the furnace a careless

                flint is ricocheted

                off the old tool he’d used years ago

                to set the boundaries

                rust thin now and dormant

               

                who knew touching

                who knew raising

                who knew new grass

                who knew he slow slow

                                then quick coming down

                                and the blades buried        

                                unseen

                                cracking

                                on impact