Zipporah of Worms

In a red sea of black asphalt
a warm crevice parting
beneath the garage door
provided the miracle
for their exodus.

Then thumbing my remote
revealed flailing
seething worms in peril,
exposed once more
to November’s freezing mist.

On hands and knees
I prised free
the moist expanding muscles
searching frantically
in the not-earth of space.

And held
a writhing bouquet
of iridescent liver-colored ligaments
shimmering from brick to mauve
to most royal purple.

Anticipating their trajectory
I ferried them across the driveway
to the warmer dryer promised land
beneath the hydrangea

Murmuring:
burrow deeply
penetrate lovingly
and fertilize my garden
for spring.