A Certain Natural Life

Milton Jordan

May 27, 2022

In a stone scattered field on the dry side

of a bare ridge, one twisted Juniper

grown slightly taller than a bush still stands

as near green as any Juniper

after another drought dry year.

Pushed through the rocky cover into soil,

the Juniper’s roots stretch out toward water

and mycelia to reach distant

nutrient sources sustaining

its stunted, defiant life.

Milton Jordan lives with Anne in Georgetown. He is coediting an anthology of Texas Poetry Assignment from 2021.