Know the Earth

To know the Earth
on a first-name basis
you must stand along the banks of Papermill Creek and watch the
crawdads scamper from underneath one rock to underneath the
next
You must watch the red-tailed hawk
circle Mt. Tam
You need to lie in the grass and watch pill bugs that have sat
in the hands of local children
You should watch raccoons raid
plastic trash bins
Stare down at the silent sandstone
sitting on top of Mt. Baldie
until a child collects it and adds it to his brimming rock collection
You must watch the lizard
scamper in the burning sun
To know Mother Earth
you need to
Love Earth’s children

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Marieke Hodge, Age 10
Brookside School
San Anselmo, California
Facilitator: Terri Glass