The People of Earth and Sky

The People of Earth and Sky

 

                            

          Two people met by chance

          at an unexpected time and place;         

          two people dropped their guard;

          without plan

          without path

          without intention

          they became friends.

 

          The worker spoke first;

          He said:

          “I am Earth;

          I ground, I support, I carry, I abide;

          I am the power within myself.

          See this world? I built it.

          I created it out of faith.

          I did not do it alone; others like me assisted.

          I look on this homely world’s homely inhabitants

          their fond and familiar forms and customs

          and I think; these too are me.

          Through us, I am I.

          Thank God I am like the others!                      

          Through us, I raised the mountains;

          I gave the sea its salt and the air its oxygen.

          I fashioned the swallow’s feather, tendril by tendril,

          each cell in place, gene by gene.

          I framed the tiger’s fearsome symmetry

          and I made the lamb too.

          Whenever time is now, I am.

          Creation creates itself through me.

          I am the heart of immediate world.”

         

          The student replied warmly;

          she said;

          “I am Sky;

          I rise, I expand, I fly, I escape;

          I am the power beyond myself.

          See this world? I imagined it.

          I created it out of doubt.

          Did I do it alone? Are there others?

          I look on this strange world’s strange inhabitants

          their weird and wonderful forms and customs

          and I ask: am I also these?

          I wonder; who am I?

          What God for me, a doubter?

          I wonder; what made this land, this sea, this air?

          Once I flitted through a sleeping dinosaur’s dreams

          and its great-grandchildren grew wings.

          I see the world in a grain of sand

          and Heaven in a wild flower.

          Whenever time is not, I am.

          Perception perceives itself through me.

          I am the soul of infinite space.”

         

          The Earth Man laughed.

          He had brown eyes, brown hair, brown skin,

          brown work-grime ground under his fingernails

          and deep into the creases of his callused hands.

          He said, “Last night I had the strangest dream;

          I dreamed of another kind of world

          whose utmost joy is being free.

          It was a land of good chaos

          with incredible miracles of mysterious wonder.

          The people’s minds were open.

          Science was art there, and answers were questions.

          Students studied and poets dreamed.

          The old were honored for their wisdom

          and the young for their wit.

          I saw people marvel at an ordinary bird

          as though they never expected it to fly.

          I saw heroes defy popular folly.

          I saw fantastic menageries.

          I dreamed of wild loves which last for a thought.

          I dreamed of wild thoughts which amaze the world.

          I dreamed of a wild world where life is a song.

          A good world, yes! But not my own.

          And so I sadly awoke to myself

          And awaking, forgot the dream;

          Only now do I remember it to tell you

          for I see in your eyes

          that I dreamed the very life you live!”

         

          The Sky Woman sighed.

          She had blue eyes, blue hair, blue skin and feathers;

          a beautiful extraterrestrial.

          She said, “Last night I had the strangest dream;

          I dreamed of another kind of world

          whose utmost joy is being true.

          It was a land in good order

          with credible reasons for its commonplace routines.     

          The people’s bellies were full.

          Technology was art there, and work was play.

          Workers worked and teachers taught.

          The old were honored for their experience

          and the young for their energy.

          I saw ordinary people board an airplane,

          expecting it to fly, and it flew!

          I saw saints assist the people, undetected.

          I saw verdant gardens.

          I dreamed of strong loves which last a life.

          I dreamed of strong lives which restore the world.

          I dreamed of a strong world where life makes sense.

          A good world, yes! But not my own.

          And so I sadly awoke to myself

          And awaking, forgot the dream;

          Only now do I remember it to tell you

          for I see in your eyes

          that I dreamed the very life you live!”

         

          Somewhere at random

          two people became friends;

          A believer and a doubter

          they saw in each other

          a greater good,

          another dimension of yes.