I
the way it pierces through
melting dusty pink to peapod green
leaf emerges embracing its bud
shielding from early spring chill
delicate grace
petals splaying open, quiet and soft
yin opening to yellow, soaking up the sun
leaves of snapping turtle skin
undulating matte splendor
feigning toughness, but succumbing to sunburn
how long the winter
cradled by Pachamama
awaiting the perfect moment
II
our winter has been long,
not since October
our winter has been persisting
deepening since
since social media — learn to fix a broken pencil, and watch
a murder —
network internet —
connect with anyone, and lose connection —
neoliberal
economics — strive for efficiency, and lose your soul —
nuclear
destruction — win the battle, lose the war —
internal
combustion engine
— go faster, risk
everything, everyone —
colonialism
— explore, and ruin what you find —
imagined superiority — disillusion,
disconnection —
domination —a
fool’s errand.
III
skin as thin as peach
flower ephemeral as a first crush
passing in the silence of night
giving way to the next
yet staying with you forever
forest duff grit
—perseverance—
generations linked together
built upon each
—other—
pushing up through the mulch pile
no regard for what stands in the
way
driving
step by
step
out of cool, dark
repose
not through garbage, but through fertilizer,
fuel
IV
brought to our knees
all our weaknesses laid bare
injustice to the earth
each other
—brother and sister all
plant, animal, fungus, bacteria, mineral, wind, water,
and spirit
bleeding from our roots
we cry out in communal agony
“don’t let us return to normal!”
Let us begin again,
as in spring.
Towards the sun,
towards a new day.
A better, more just, more beautiful,
more loving way.
V
we rise