My Roots
By A.J. Huffman
rise in resilient defiance of my
continuous attempts to smother
my age, sprout like rings
to be tallied. They mock me
with their stark pride, showing
no fear of potential plucking or
the thick stream of bloodlike chemicals
I baste them in. The bastards believe
they phoenix, drowning in liquid flame,
secure in their ritual revival, know
they will shine against my mirror
again in just a few short weeks.
Evolution: An Anthology