hands in the earth / by Ellen Sorensen

i put my hands in the earth

and she provided for me

rivers, mountains, and trees

she gives abundantly 

 

my mother taught me to respect the ocean

and my father taught me to respect the woods 

and since i live between land and sea

i bow to them both, equally 

 

and as i thank them, i raise a toast 

to the one who deserves the most 

 

who saw the ground, the plants, the food

and said at the end that "this is good."