Night traffic flows in irregular patterns
Swoosh by in shades of shadow and street light
Some tires find the manhole cover
Bounce off it adding tenor to the jazz
Drops of 4 a.m. dew touch down
On grass tips torching each blade
The lawn is now a million moons
Silently lit with the white of diamonds
Slugs ride the water highway
Fast path to someone’s petunia’s
As a raccoon wiggles low, out of the brush
Carpet-cleaning body wets her underbelly
Too late for conversation
Too early for work
The world paints a peaceful moment
So real, you can stand in it
Published by Shannon Laws
Shannon Laws is an award-winning poet, performer, and advocate for the arts. She has been recognized with two Mayor’s Arts Awards and the Dr. Asha Bhargava Memorial Award — Community Champion. Her work has been featured in numerous journals and anthologies, and she has captivated audiences at esteemed literary events, including the Jack McCarthy Evergreen Invitational Slam, SpeakEasy, Poetry Night, Kitchen Sessions, and the West Coast Tagore Festival.
Beyond her writing and performances, Shannon actively fosters literary
and artistic communities. Since 2022, she has curated Corridor, a monthly
“found-art” zine project that showcases the work of more than 50 contributing
poets and artists. She is also the founder and host of Poetry Club, an engaging
discussion group established in 2015.
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