shall clap as they go out with joy

the earth is a strange creature
with her lungs flung out wide in the blue sky
her breath billows down
rich and tender
warm
all summer

you hear her best
in the trees, her shoosh
her chhhh, chhhh
her bending down and her rough
gentle hands
and up, up from her deep heart
they come thick
and cracked
and her skirts sway in the willow wands
and her eyes like sun in the leaves

do not be offended
or afraid though she
wants your body back, patiently
she asks so gentle, so gentle
ready now?
are you, are you, are you
ready?