Megan de Guzman

I drive through Arizona
and the cacti make me cry.
Standing at attention like
dumb little shits, forever.
I want to yell “at ease!” but
they don’t take orders from me.
Pokey solidarity.

I weep as I pass, alone.
The best sentries around, but
nothing ever happens when
it is one hundred degrees.
If only I could take them
home, maybe they’d finally
have something to stand up for.