Shared Space

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SHARED SPACE


The neighbor at our back mows 

most of our yard because that’s how 

he always did it when his in-laws lived here 


and then his nephew, totaling 

forty-seven years, which is about how old 

his daughter is who lives at the front 


of the field. And while I’d like to ask 

her to slow down when she drives 

up our driveway to visit her parents,  


I want to be sensitive to the fact 

that the field lines from our septic tank 

cross the property line and she hasn’t


asked us to dig them out, and I can’t

argue that the old man's chronic

mowing has its real perks. 


Sometimes I imagine how nice 

it would be to do whatever I want

wherever on my property


I want to without needing to think 

about how it will affect anyone

but me and mine. Other times, 


I’m grateful that this common field

won't participate in the deception

that anyone has this luxury.


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