Orchard valleys by DS Maolalai

in day's heat 

trees sweat fruit  

on burned hill- 

side foreheads, 

on deep orchard  

valleys and cool. 

press temples  

against rough-brick 

walls. swell  

under sunlight,  

eat dirt. 

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DS Maolalai has been nominated nine times for Best of the Net and seven times for the Pushcart Prize. He has released two collections, "Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden" (Encircle Press, 2016) and "Sad Havoc Among the Birds" (Turas Press, 2019). His third collection, "Noble Rot" is scheduled for release in April 2022.