Zygote

In that moment the earth awoke
Felt the warmth in its belly
The pull of its sun
And the distance in its sisters

Here am I, thought the earth,
But what is me?
Fiery massive engine like that sun?
Dormant cold rock like these?

Pushing and tugging at its skin
The iron belly of the earth churned
Magnetic shield billowing
Invisible shade from the solar fury

I am more than just rock
Atmosphere rises and swirls about me
Oceans flow on and above
And back down again

Yet a mystery is me
If only I could send me out there
To turn about and look
Then I might know

So began the effort,
Iteration on iteration
Elemental mixing
Searching for an eye apart

Starting small, eyes began to see
And the earth saw a little
The eyes got larger
And the earth saw more

These are not enough
I must get outside of myself
Pondered the earth,
Large eyes abandoned

Then came the eyes that search
Reaching higher and beyond
Turning and capturing
The profile of this pale blue dot

Ah, there I am, smiled the earth
Imagination spinning past resolution
That is me, I am not what I was,
What will I be?

-T. Weeks
(A response to “Virginia—The West”)

Anxious

Did I do that right
Did I say it wrong
What if they don’t like me
What do they think
Do they know about me
About things I think
They will find out
Then what
Should I just hide
So they can’t find me
Am I what’s wrong
So what’s next
Run or stand

-T. Weeks
(A response to “Rise O Days from Your Fathomless Deeps”)

Egress

O’er the long road uphill slowly
Where’re the path may lead
Summit seekers plod
Towards a descent climbing
Towards a climb descending

-T. Weeks
(A response to “Song of the Banner at Daybreak”)