How vain, to anticipate what’s been
sown, foretell how the buried
will swell. Zucchini overwhelm
the raised beds—stems straight-arm
out with stop-sign palms—so wide, so
deeply lobed—no companion
can grow alongside, but—where
are we merely asked to whelm? Under
the foliage, blossoms tint tangerine,
thick veins net petals’ backsides
matching my own hands; I attest—:
there is no squash to speak of.
Planter Box Conceit
Cate Lycurgus
Cate Lycurgus’s poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Best American Poetry, American Poetry Review, Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, and elsewhere. She has also received scholarships from Bread Loaf and Sewanee Writers’ Conferences. Cate lives in San Jose, California, where she interviews for 32 Poems and teaches professional writing. You can find her at www.catelycurgus.com.