Every Surface Green by DS Maolalai

like water which seeps  
from a badly blocked  
faucet, nature pushes in 
through the city 
where it can. these old  
unused carparks,  
the yellow eyes  
of dandelions, striped grass  
raising shadow;  
a pavement 
tiger line, rippled  
by some minor  
city breeze. birds 
constructing bowers 
on brick-built cliff- 
side buildings. 
cats stalk, tails rising, 
flying flags between 
old trucks. I take a break  
from office work, stand  
out by a wall, my back  
to moss-smeared splashes 
staining every surface  
green. dirty water 
out of sink drains 
and washing dirty  
dishes. I stand,  
the world around me. 
look at the sky, 
look at the street.  

About the Poet:

DS Maolalai has been nominated eight times for Best of the Net and five times for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in two collections, “Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden” (Encircle Press, 2016) and “Sad Havoc Among the Birds” (Turas Press, 2019)