Jason de Koff

---

They planted periwinkle on her plot,
but the infernal winds,
released the marrow’s moisture,
revealing the soil’s dry bones.

The dust that blew
infected airways,
poisoning the lungs and souls,
who visited afterwards.

The lashed sticks had broken,
and now lay among a detritus,
of crusted lace and broken glass,
collected along peeling fenceposts.

The sun’s rays don’t reach here,
this forgotten depression,
of how things used to be,
shrine to what could have been.

---

Jason de Koff is an associate professor of agronomy and soil science at Tennessee State University.  He lives in Nashville, TN with his wife, Jaclyn, and his two daughters, Tegan and Maizie. He has published in a number of scientific journals, and recently had poetry accepted in other literary journals. His short story, ‘The Gods of Indianapolis’, was published in 2014 in the Mythic Indy anthology published by Well Done Marketing. Follow Jason on Twitter (@JasonPdK3) or Instagram (@jasondekoff).