TWO POEMS by GAVIN GARZA
Community College Lunar Observations
My study group consists of meat bees in flat bill hats
swarming around hips and chests of other classmates
while Professor Ragsdale hunts for the Pleiades.
The Moon is more searchlight than kiss from the parking lot.
Rachel tells me lunar soil is closer to fiberglass than skin
which dispels half of all love poems I've lived.
Ragsdale concedes and marks our telescope for Venus.
Over a hive of Snapchat bubbles, the embedded tutor explains
how Saturn's gravity keeps Jupiter from careening
toward the Sun, and scorching earth by tearing Earth
limb from limb. As a compromise, Jupiter swipes left
on all moons entering Their orbit.
Venus calls out sick, so it's Jupiter putting up a show.
The bees line up and lean in for an eyepiece—
four moons encircle the planet like a purity ring.
Someone should warn them it’ll end as fast as it arrived.
Invitations From the Reverend
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
[with leather gloves] The Lord has plans for you.
Gavin Garza (he/him/él) is that one poet who grew up in a cult (IBLP). A tutor, editor, and social justice fellow, he’s currently reclaiming his Chicanismo in Fresno, California. Garza was recently awarded the Dean’s Medallion for the Humanities at Fresno City College. His work has been featured in Bullshit before, as well as in MudRoom, Eucalyptus Lit, Airplane Reading, and elsewhere. He just got accepted into UC Berkeley, so wish him luck on Instagram & Twitter!