by Brad Liening
The trick is containment.
I’m thinking: cancer,
zombies, fire.
Keeping the river
within its banks
and away from us.
The river is hard
to get out of
once you’re in it.
I’m thinking:
tall pine bending,
parabolic
under invisible weight.
Going up
in a flash.
Zombies are
as frightening as anything
else in this world.
You’re miles
downriver
before you
even realize
you’re in the river.
The galaxy: dust,
gas, a couple cells
dividing in wet brains.