Lily Greenberg
The Beginning According to Executive God
was just me really, perfect
sky of me, my swarms and waves, there were
days of me in everything and beautiful
canyons I made mountains I made bee waggle
wing flap I was so good then honestly
too good I mean glow worms! diamonds!
jellyfish! Devastating sunsets and no one
to say I love that no matter how loud
I clapped the rocks echoed no applause
and deer hooves wouldn’t cut it not
talons or paws or tentacles or leaves so
I made you—you with hands
and eyes and ears and mouth
better speak up now—I brought you here
to love me. Now take a seat
right there in the sand. Tilt your head.
Need me to tilt it for you? Look.
The sky is bleeding. Look up now.
What do you say? Good. Louder.
Lily Greenberg reads “The Beginning According to Executive God”
Lily Greenberg is a poet from Nashville, Tennessee and the author of In the Shape of a Woman (Broadstone Books 2022). Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in New England Review, Iron Horse Literary Review, Eco Theo Review, and On the Seawall, among others. She serves as Poetry Editor for Longleaf Review and Advisory Committee Member of Hudson Valley Writers Center’s Slapering Hol Press. She lives in Nyack, New York.