We Live in the Most Exquisite Terrarium

--Catherine Pierce

       

The fresh macadam is glossed with rain

and from the roadside, garden zinnias shout

their unabashed reds and fuchsias.

In a department store, a man

deftly arranges lipsticks by gradations

of purple, Velvet Violet to Punch-

Drunk Plum. A college radio deejay

follows new folk with old punk;

she knows it's important to keep

the airwaves sparking. This yard is soft

with Bermuda grass. This yard is coarse

with tall fescue. Look at our Climate

Controlled Storage Units. Look at

our socks rolled together in pairs.

Look at the emails we've crafted

in order to make someone think of us

once the lights go out. We curate

this place with such care. As if there's

nothing outside its blue dome. Or

as if we get to stay in here forever.