I Am of the Earth

I Am of the Earth
Though born of woman, I am of the earth,
The first rays of sun welcomed my birth,
Swathed in daisies in verdant lea,
The sweet smelling earth cradled me,
The cicada filled the air with song,
The hawk circled and cried all day long,
The grass and trees whispered my name,
And to mother earth I laid claim,
I have childhood memories of the rich soil,
Planting seeds with honest toil,
And warm mud oozing between my toes,
Knowing that in her bosom everything grows,
Crawling, creeping, teeming with life,
I feel the closeness, the peace, the strife,
I am of this hauntingly beautiful earth,
Where few have thought out its worth,
Its fragile shelter offering hope to a beleaguered mankind,
Offering sustenance to plant and animal of all kinds,
I am of this beautiful, living, fragile earth,
And I am filled with rich memories since my birth.