Mark this house as salvation
for the storm-blown and savage.

Wind whistles through a crack
around the glass, but the view

bursts green, gold. Open the doors
to the hard times. Invite

the down-on-their-luck. Feed them
all that you have, and make more

from the scraps. As long as
everyone, even God, takes half, we’ll

never reach zero. Lightning
strikes a block away.

If there are victims, they
may not have been wicked.

Maybe they just settled in
for another night of distance.

Stay in. Venture out only
to be of assistance.

Resilience, not reaction. Frustrated farmers will think
resistance a bridge to burn when they get to it. Burning
bridges leaves no way off the island except swimming.

Commonly known as tall waterhemp, Amaranthus
tuberculatus is persistent in Iowa fields. Resilience,
not escalation, a quiet death and life giving from
generation to generation.

This is the benefit of paying attention. Write down
what —cide means to you.

Herbi-
Pesti-
Geno-

                        means required resistance, with
                        reaction, resilience.