The Romulus Checklist

Every morning at 0400, when the humidity gauge reads 97% and the copper wire begins to sing, I lay out the seeds in their proper order. Not a poem, not a prayer—a list.

Thyme 14 weeks × 36 stems = 504 viable shoots
Oregano 14 weeks × 42 leaves = 588 harvest units
Lavender 14 weeks × 28 buds = 392 bloom anchors

We stand on the edge of Wayne County, where the Huron River still remembers the shape of the glacier. Here, my grandmother's garden catalog becomes the colony's first breath.

The seal of Wayne County, Michigan—the geometry of home
The geometry of home. Where every stitch finds its thread.

I did not sweep the shavings. I logged the count.