Gardening

I dig crabgrass accidentally yank pansies
reflect on killing plants I don't eat or find attractive
consider Cambodia images from film
emaciated man caught lacerating a cow's hide
drinking its blood
kicked by soldiers face forced into dung             
a schoolroom a voice "we must eliminate
unproductive pre-revolutionary longings"
hands waving  supplicants led away

weedkiller pollutes 
compost rots  returns to earth  fertilizes
a suckling baby  all gums tiny claws
burps sour milk coos 
the mother smiles 
what seems to be parasite nourishes

I want to place stone on stone
restore myth
rebuild grand processional stairways 
severed from history
I push boulders
up mountains only to have them fall back
uprooted I chew despair