choo

virginia lee used the kitchen to grow jesus like a garden

on clear, sunny days in elkatawa
wjsn radio station comes in clear as a bell
old school fm vibes dancing with a wasp
tap tap tapping the kitchen screen door,
over and over, anxious and steady

tucked inside it all
            choo
mom's hum
                        choo
lifting, then folding itself between a favorite chair,
big wind chimes,
                                    choo choo
breaking beans into a green tupperware bowl
one at a time

touch, string, break, toss~
touch, string, break, toss~

"how do stars talk to each other mommy?"

she keeps stringing,
pauses to hold one bean a little longer,
smiles at me
breaking it in two, she tastes one half,
hands me the other

between two hills holding us steady
under a sliver of sky,

we chew on our beans_