Richard A. Decker

mulching day

in a rickety white GMC

interior torn

dusty coffee-stained beige

pens piled up

in the center console

the dashboard all analog

with rustic buttons

knobs

and levers

i sip coffee

my arm hanging out

the window

waiting

as the front-end loader

fills up the bed

i bounce

        back down the dirt road

to make my delivery

        with dirty hands

backing the truck in

         with dirty hands

             climbing into the bed

with a worn bedding fork

         shoveling black mulch

                            into rusted barrows

                                            spreading fresh earth across

            the church landscape

                                                         serving God

                                         with dirty hands