<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">To Begin to Know Soil</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> <i style="font-size: 14px;" class="">For Dan and Rebecca</i></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">hold it in your hands</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">rub the clumps and bits between your fingers</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">see the particles trace your lifeline</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">pour sand through your fingers</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">ball clay in your palm</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">rub grit from your eyes</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">inhale the scent of raindrops</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">filtering through loamy richness</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">hear the mud ooze</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">consider the life beneath your feet</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">insects and fungi, voles and moles</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">fleshy paws paddling darkness</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">think like a tree</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">the intimacy of roots to soil</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">soil to water</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">drive by a field of grain</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">nourished by soil</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">give thanks to farmers</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">separate clay and rock</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">that dull the hoe</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">taste the carrot reborn from seed</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">ponder stone</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">becoming soil</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">pluck some wildflowers</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">till thoughts in the garden</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">embrace decomposition and decay</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">ponder the vagaries of life</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">imagine soil flying</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">carried by wind</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">for hundreds of miles</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">begin to know . . .</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Betty Les and Linda Stamps</div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></body></html>