The Garden Test - Cameron Baylor (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Zip shuffle shuffle Zip shuffle-A gardener tugs on her pair of cracked rubber boots. Clop Clop Creek, Thud Thud-She stomps down the steps of the yellow back porch and her boots hit the hard-packed ground. Thud Thud Thud. She strolls down a dirt aisle of old wooden garden beds and her work begins.
Thud Thud Thud Snap Plop-The gardener slices the stem of a cherry tomato and plops the red delicacy into her mouth. Thud Thud Thud Pop Chomp-She pulls a cucumber and munches on it, digging into its fine flavors. Thud Thud Thud Rip Crunch-She rips out a bush bean and
chews it with her teeth, savoring its taste. Thud Thud Thud Twist Crush-She crushes a jalapeno with her molars, challenging its intense spice.
Thud Thud Thud Slop-The gardener's one good boot submerges into a pool of mud, created by a torn hose. Thud Squish Thud Click-She retrieves her swiss army knife from the pocket of her overalls. Squish Thud Squish Rustle Sckit-She trims out a thin slice of a rich pepper. Thud Thud Thud Crunch Crush Gulp-She feasts on it as she makes her way back to the welcoming shade of the porch.
CRACK-A beds' nail comes loose. Thud Thud Thud, Clink Clank-The gardener retrieves her hammer and fumbles for a spare nail. Thud Thud Thud BANG BANG BANG-With the nail in,
she finally notices the beating sun from under her straw hat and wipes a little sweat from her
brow. She looks around, knowing that her work has only just begun this hot Nebraska afternoon.