***

i woke up craving earth
tierra mas bien
not just dirt or dust
but rich soil

Mexico soil
that made perfect
rows of cakes
that we lined up to bake in the sun

i liked to play in the dirt
the dirt did not like me
instead i grew scaly itchy
patches of irritated skin

i was maybe five
but i remember
even then i craved earth
the cool soil moist between my fingers

in my dress i played in the yard
got stung by a rose bush once
grew new skin
when i gave up dirt games

today i crave it
miss it
must have dreamt
i was little again

then i knew only
the Rosarito sand
the Baja colonia dirt
the Aguascalientes, Calvillo, Malpaso soil

today i know Mexico as
pyramids and anicient ruins
white sands from Colima to Quintana Roo
dusty cobblestones of San Miguel de Allende...

i found as beautiful
Greek and Roman architecture
sand along the Mediterranean sea
sun baked cobblestones of Spain

have slept under venerable trees in Sant Cruz
mixed dirt with sweat in the Sierra Nevadas
danced in Black Rock city dust storms
slept on sand under the watchful eye of the moon

past, present mixed together
memories like elements
fire, wind, water, soil
today I woke up whole