I.

How grass
Grows with such persistence and
Uncaring for time,
Leaves the sky hovering in anticipation

—Shall you ever give in?
How many ways are you willing to die?

II.

I see you there,
Silver arnica,
Heartleaf, sticky, seep-spring of
Yellow mouth, saffron divine.

Aster, watch your fingers.
Toadflax, are you reaching?
Dogbane and nettle and rabbit-foot clover;
This cradle of color leaps as it sways,
And I am in awe of the way it was made.

III.

If I take this sprig of yarrow,
Am I stealing from the earth?
Am I a thief, making off with its well earned majesty;
What end am I invoking
For a bit of beauty?

IV.

I want to love you mountain,
But I’m drawn in by her scent.

She seizes me by my breast and leads me,
A doe from the dark,
And wakes me with a cloud
Rolling over her;
The air tips its pitcher and pours life.

Like a song.

Photos copyrighted and courtesy of (in order)
-Pete Astles
-Flordir
-Mahmud Hassan