“A straight line first,” my father said, “then turn

,egde eht teem uoy llit og — yaw rehto eht

then back again, like oxen. Oxen earn

“.gnitfard ydaets yb drawer eud s’elzzum rieht

Like bold Bucephalus the lawnmower bellowed,

.tips — gag — wehc :aimilub ni suoiditsaf

Paternal sunlight left the grass unyellowed;

“.won ti yrt uoy tsuJ” :em degdun rehtaF

His father before him used the scythe, but still

.deilppa etuor-xo emas eht yllareneg

So labor’s old back-and-forth must trudge until

.tuo raew esnesitna DNA esnes citeneg

I pushed, and still I push, but shun the pull

of Solomon’s idle nothing-newness — bull!