Gravewatchers

for Andres and Rita

you will know them by the slouch,

                                                                        huddled together

under an umbrella
the upturned crescent of red protecting them from rain that

                                                            f
                                                                        a
                                                                                    l
                                                                                                l
                                                                                                            s

                                                                                                                        forever
their daily task
is the struggle against wilted roses
and the architectures of ants

a vigil to keep watch
as she sleeps
beneath her grassy blanket
with the moon her nightlight.

Allie Marini Batts is a graduate of New College of Florida, meaning she can explain deconstructionism, but cannot perform simple math. Her work has appeared in over eighty literary magazines her family hasn’t heard of. Allie calls Tallahassee home because it has great trees to climb, and conveniently, her husband happens to live there, too. She’s pursuing her MFA degree in Creative Writing through Antioch University Los Angeles and……oh no! it’s getting away! To read more of Allie’s work, please visit http://kiddeternity.wordpress.com, or to read her book reviews and literary blogging, visit Bookshelf Bombshells at http://bookshelfbombshells.com.