and all through school they went
Feelings of ‘wanting out!”
start itching
with the warmth of sun
and longer days
Yawning in the morning sun
shaking off the frost
I walk across the frozen skin
soon to be blackened mud
Cold iron lies in waiting
engines wintered long
oil like syrup
drags them back
resisting, resisting, then
Roar! they spring to life!
Oh, it feels so good!
To stir the pot of spring
plans coming off the papers
into piles of seeds
and machines pawing to work
The soil that looked so lifeless
sprouts hair fine tiny plants
they leap and grow
and color the land
green, is coming again
the soil where it itches?
Maybe they reach inside me
whispering messages “Wake up!”
At any rate
I’m up
mind racing with a thousand things
then calming with the earth
Patience, says the soil
Flow with me
treat me gentle
I’ll reward your efforts!
“Oh beautiful
for spacious skies
for amber waves of
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain
America, America
God shed His grace on thee
and crown thy good
with brotherhood,
from sea to shining sea.”*
Lin 03/10
*America the Beautiful text: Katherine Lee Bates, music: Samuel A. Ward A