Boiled Peanuts by Sarah Morris Shux
Once while driving through South Carolina
My sister and I ate boiled peanuts
For the first time
And counted all the cemeteries that we saw.
As a child,
I wondered why the south
Had so many graveyards.
Now, as an adult,
I know it’s because there is so much there
Which requires
Burying.
Tourists will often mistake bones
For ancient tree roots.
Some locals
Still do this
As well.
Sarah Morris Shux (she/her) is a poet, screenwriter and short story writer currently living in Los Angeles with her very loud Siamese cat, King Tut. When she isn't writing, she enjoys anything horror related, roller skating, spending too much money on vinyl records and plants and stress baking. Find her on Twitter @MsShux and on Instagram @awwshux