I expend thousands of steps all day, every day to find and squish spotted lanternflies because each one spared means another eighty born and I don’t want the crops to fail. This is my mission to save us. When I was away I let the hunger fester and now the vines and trees are covered. They are your other lover descending upon me from high, landing on the sidewalk sun, and this is the only way I know to put my foot down.
James Croal Jackson is a Filipino-American poet who works in film production. His latest chapbooks are Count Seeds With Me (Ethel Zine & Micro-Press, 2022) and Our Past Leaves (Kelsay Books, 2021). Recent poems are in Stirring, Vilas Avenue, and *82 Review. He edits The Mantle Poetry from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (jamescroaljackson.com)
