I am a child of the earth.
Remember when I played in it
Yes, in the dirt in the mud
It squished between my toes
And collected underneath my grummy fingernails.
I am a child of the sun
Remember when I played in it
Yes, in the garden in the field
It painted the freckles on my nose on my shoulders
And watched me while I still believed in heaven.
I am a child of the water
Remember when I played in it
Yes, in the algae in the floating june bugs
It was cold and smooth on my tongue
And I peed in it before I knew to be ashamed.
But if I am a child of the earth
Of the sun
Of the water
Then what am I doing here
Here hanging with jewelry
Here unable to stop the din of the plastic television
Here sipping metallic coffee
And wondering if I look fat to the people outside
Who aren’t looking but could see if they wanted to
Here waiting on the phone to ring.
That child of the earth of the sun of the water
Doesn’t know who I am anymore
But I sigh
Because I know I’m no longer that child.