​anniversary

the trees
are planted
in
curbside
rows
like
so much
seed
from the
same
scheduled
womb

and mostly,
they grow
at the
same speed
birthing
shadows
that block
the same
amount
of light

but the limbs,
you know

the limbs
they don’t
grow the
same

they don’t
bend or
break the
same as

they take
different
paths to
reach the
same
changing
sky





David LaBounty is the author of the novel Affluenza and the recent poetry collection moon chalk. He lives in Michigan.