Those Missing Islands - June 29, 2024

the day after I went angrily

branch by branch and couldn’t find

what had eaten my basil plant

a little brown bird hopped through

the bare branches and grabbed

a pair of tiny green worms

though lost the second one

when it slipped his beak

and another bird stole it

I wonder if that will bother him

for the rest of the day  if he’ll

mutter a few cursing chirps

I know I’m upset

that my tomato soup

will not have those islands

of floating basil in it tonight

such a tasty place for a mouth to beach

in the middle of a red sea

and watch the grilled cheese

sandwich break apart and sink

under the crashing red waves