Talking Football

Gilberto loves the Raiders, mows my lawn, 
Landscapes the oaks, the ice plant,
And the agaves that sit, palms up,
Open to the sun,

Which in July is deadly, though
Gilberto wears a long sleeve shirt,
Long pants, work boots, and hopes
The D will hold up against the Chiefs.

We sit on the stoop, sip Corona,
Wonder if Adams will stay motivated,
If Jimmy G can handle the helm,
Stay healthy, stand strong in the pocket,

If Jacobs will stay at all.
Three feet away, among the agave,
Spiders cling to ragged webs,
Their world another thing.

GARY CAMPANELLA

Gary Campanella writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. He is a 2022 Pushcart Prize nominee and won an Honorable Mention in the 2023 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Prize. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications. He is the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of the Muleskinner Journal.  He lives on a dead-end street in Los Angeles.