Orchard valleys by DS Maolalai
in day's heat
trees sweat fruit
on burned hill-
side foreheads,
on deep orchard
valleys and cool.
press temples
against rough-brick
walls. swell
under sunlight,
eat dirt.
DS Maolalai has been nominated nine times for Best of the Net and seven times for the Pushcart Prize. He has released two collections, "Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden" (Encircle Press, 2016) and "Sad Havoc Among the Birds" (Turas Press, 2019). His third collection, "Noble Rot" is scheduled for release in April 2022.