Earth Your Dancing
Place
Beneath heaven's vault
remember
always walking
through halls of cloud
down aisles of sunlight
or
through high hedges
of the green rain
walk in the world
highheeled with
swirl of cape
hand at the swordhilt
of your pride
Keep a tall
throat
Remain aghast at life
Enter each day
as upon a
stage
lighted and waiting
for your step
Crave upward as flame
have
keenness in the nostril
Give your eyes
to agony or rapture
Train your hands
as birds to
be
brooding or nimble
Move your body
as the horses
sweeping on
slender hooves
over crag and prairie
with fleeing manes
and aloofness
of their limbs
Take earth for your own large
room
and the floor of earth
carpeted with sunlight
and hung round with
silver wind
for your dancing place
~ May Swenson ~
(Nature: Poems Old and New)