Tethered

I live my life tethered to a single day. I don't know why.
I know it's not bad. The moon comes up and goes back down.
Sometimes I walk all night and never run out of slack.

This isn't some dream. Sometimes the deer make wild
leaps over the fence into the pasture where the cattle sway
like enormous black bells. Sometimes the lilacs bloom.

The day glides along like quiet water. Tomorrow I will go
downstream to where the swallows swoop to feast on mayflies
and I will kiss the sweet breath of this river over and over.

Jacob Grussing works in county government in Shakopee, Minnesota, where he lives with his wife, children, and dog. His work has appeared in Camas, Cellar Roots, and Pemmican.

Published April 15 2025