“Brush and Bulky Pickup”
It says in a two by eight foot decal
On the side of the truck.
A crew of six inmates
Two drivers
And a deputy sheriff overseer
Load the camps’ debris into the back of the truck
Into the compactor that leads
Into the belly of the truck

The paloverde trees are blooming yellow
With lacy leafy tendrils falling from the branches
The mesquites stand silently

Denise and Gary abandoned their camp
And Vinnie his not long after
But Debby and Ron are here
To rescue a carload
Of what fits into my car
And watch the rest
Including the huge tent
Go into the belly of the truck

Chris Lovette
Tucsan, AZ

May 2017