by Tommy Welty

I want to want to live in hard places,
to map the edge of the city. I want to draw

mountains in margins, illuminate
the nature and nurture of it all and then erase
all our shifting imaginary lines

no more rivers, or seas, or oceans,
no more rusting walls telling us
where we begin and they end

I want the fog to tendril at our feet
and obscure our coasts. Here
there be dragons: Children
grocery shopping alone at the Dollar Tree,

well intentioned adults looming
among the canned beans
explaining the good news of Jesus Christ

and unit prices. I want to name it all

in swirling script: Here, of all places,
I’m so glad you are here

Tommy Welty is a poet from Southern California. His poetry has appeared in The Windhover, Rock & Sling, Ekstasis Magazine, and NPR’s All Things Considered. Instagram: @tommywelty