I am earth

I am earth

and from my body grow the trees you chop down with you careless acts

I am ocean for from my womb all beings are birthed

I am desert my long, voluptuous dunes now burnt to drought by August sun

my blood the dyeing rivers you pollute with discarded greed and selfish denial

my breasts are sacred mountains climbed for your egos sake of reaching the top your summit my nipple without soft, tenderness of touch that is required for such a holy journey

you, who call me home I am not something to be bought or sold

I am alive and in the eyes of every living creature you will find me their mother mirrored back to you

do you dare look? can you hold my gaze?

while you run your fingers through my sunlit hair of wheat at harvest? that same nourishing grain you paint with poison for your benefit?

and do you care? when you stain the path of this delicate wrist as you wind your way along my enchanted forest of pine?

you, my child, who call yourself king have scratched my skin raw etching your name across virgin land

dark bruises mark my thighs as you drill into the deepest marrow of these bones searching for more gold more silver more of my life giving waters you continue to ask for more more of my precious milk more of my cherished stone you always want more

and I give it again and again and again I give

but now, my pets I have run dry

I crack, I moan and I quake I break open in pain I am rain

I burn, I flame, I heat I erupt with the force of my grief

and then I cry for days and days and days I cry

and you, my dears still look to my husband’s heavens asking why

Sheryl Lee