Were it not my task to enter into

A strange forest in which trees communion

And out of that wood wrest compunction

Which I should carry with me in my arm’s crook

A formless babe swaddled in a blanket

A solution of sorts, from which I solve an equation

Saline water with iodized salt

All of its properties

Which obscure the view of the cascades

Alleged to be helpful

Both the snowy mountains and the occasional

Sight of them

Skiers propagating off of cliffs very gleefully

Which themselves reduce

For which the desire to improve is clear

Hesitate to say natural while brushing my teeth

And then spit out and rinse

I pop my finger in my mouth and make a noise

And so does the toddler, who repeats it

Albeit more weakly. This was my friend’s child

At some point I will have drawn strength from this

Though even then

My task would be unclear

first book of poems, Walden Pond, was published with Thirdhand Books in 2024. Website: patty-nash.com