CONCERNING THE EARTH
There he stands
right in the middle of his world,
which here means
right in the middle of his corn
but also
right in the middle of the
wretched and yellowish spot
that has probably
been given too much
of some chemical or other
or been hit
by chance fall-out
or by a stray gene
that ought to have been
somewhere else completely,
and there he just stands,
and it looks more as if
he is full of admiration
than in right in the middle
of a showdown with himself.
Don’t think,
he then says,
you can get the better of
the earth.
The earth is strong
and unbeatable,
it’s only
earth put to use
that is frail,
he says,
it’s only
the earth of chance life
that can be threatened
when chance life
scratches at it
too roughly.
Look around, he says,
when you think you’ve got it,
it turns its back
and starts living a quite different life.
It’s got enough of them.
I’ve only got one
he says and can scarcely
conceal his laughter.
He kicks one of the clods.
Bloody earth.
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