The intense pressure of the earth

makes coal out of ferns, diamonds out of coal.

The intense pressure of the earth

is within us, and makes coal

and diamond desires.

 

For instance, we are a river

flowing and flowing out to sea,

an oak fire flaring and flaring in a night

with no wind, or, protean,

a river, a fire, an oak, a hawk, a wind.

 

And now, at first light,

I mark the stages of our growth:

mark fern, coal, diamond,

mark a pressure transforming

even broken nails and broken glass into

clear molten light.