Earth is School

Earth is School

by Gideon Burton

Whole days in tunnels, cubicles of dark

denial of the windy world outside

where sudden sunshine steals across the park

or warming rains make maples shake in pride.

We have too well composed our roofs and doors

and piped into our cells what we all thought

we needed, cleaned and waxed our parquet floors

as though our feet should nothing soil nor spot.

But wiser ones have cast aside the pride

of stucco, timbers hewed and deftly locked,

have whispered to the mountain crests outside

and dirtied shirts and shoes and pants and socks.

        Defy the rain, come with me in the cool.

        No need for work or study. Earth is school.

Feel free to copy, imitate, remix, or redistribute this poem as long as you give proper acknowledgment of authorship. Photo: flickr - Mike Hornblade