Earth

a dusky-green hilltop at midnight,
on my back in prickly grass, gasping for
air, and wiping the sparkling sea out of my eyes
i feel the evergreens
sparsely gathered here by human hands
are buffeted by the same inexplicable
winds of indecipherable whisperings,
the grass shivers in silvery expectation. there
is a single star in the smoggy city sky.
i think we would all ascend above
if we could.
each stem, each leaf
– struggling–
for its next breath, to pull nutrients
from a parched and
poisoned earth
we must endure here
as we can–
take joy in each moment of green
each splash of cool
water each pixie-sparkle of Io-dust-starlight:
stretch out to touch the blessing of
Earth.