​Three Days In Joshua Tree by Jennifer Lothrigel + Juliana Tattoli

Juliana Tattoli

I read a Pima creation story that began,
“In the beginning there was only darkness.”

I saw a shooting star leap
from one end of the Earth to the other,
waving her long tadpole tail,
her giant head leading the way to burn-out.
So close, it could fall into my lap.

I met a man named Garth with praying mantis eyes
who lived off the land for thirty-eight years in a teepee.
Large gemstone rings on every finger,
he told me the secret to life is
to ‘keep it simple.’

The Cholla cactus can produce new growth
from any part of its ombre body.
Luminescent light yellow tips caught the afternoon light,
beam out amongst a cloudy deep gray sky.
Spiked round stems taper off to red, then orange,
then lower on its body become auburn,
and finally at its base, completely black.

The Yucca Moth works from sunset to midnight
when Joshua Tree blooms spread open
like summer windows receiving the warm night.
She deposits a small amount of pollen collected
onto the flower’s ovary
so it produces the seeds she needs to feed her larvae.
​
How will I bloom fruit from emptiness?
“Keep it simple” he said.
I descended from primal jelly ooze

Jennifer Lothrigel

is a poet and artist in the San Francisco Bay area.  Her chapbook 'Pneuma' was published last year through Liquid Light Press.  Her work has also been published in Arcturus, Deracine, Rag Queen Periodical, Peeking Cat Poetry, We'Moon and elsewhere. 

Juliana Tattoli

 is an artist. She loves traveling.  Her instagram is @julianatattoli