She is watching two jays fight
in a sunny place,
July’s broad-chested heat
lights up her face.
I see this from a window
across the street,
the way her hand makes shadow
so she can see it.
She stands still to fix it
in memory.
No camera phone to text it.
Hers only to see.
Will Reger learned the power of poetry in a Missouri bean field, amid the matriarchs of his family, when he realized “itch” and “bitch” rhyme, and was slapped for his trouble. As a consequence, he understood the power of poetry at a very young age. He has been a leader in the local poetry community for more than ten years, most recently concluding a tenure as Poet Laureate of the city of Urbana, IL. Select published poems are found at www.Twitter.com/@wmreger.