Poet Describes Effort to Restore Storm-Damaged Shrub

A poem published in The Atlantic presents a gardener working to restore a shrub damaged by a storm. The text describes the plant's green leaves and the curl of a baby's fingernail. It states that the shrub was knocked over by storm, its brush crumbling to touch.

The speaker asks how the damage was missed and states that twisting the stubborn bush from its tangled roots is all that can be done for those who could not be saved. The poem continues with the gardener turning the bush upright as if giving birth to a baby in breach.

The speaker says they do not mind mud underneath the nails or worms the fingers touch. Mosquitos are described as swarming crazily in one hundred degrees, circling the head like a halo of distrust. The speaker curses nature's promise after weeks of praying for a triumphant birth.

The Atlantic identifies the author as Jill Bialosky.

The note states that Bialosky is the author of seven volumes of poetry, including Asylum: A Personal, Historical, Natural Inquiry, which was a finalist for the 2020 National Jewish Book Award. Her collection Mock Heart: New & Selected Poems will be published in September.