The Cost of Water

Flight of stillness; idle, ditch-wise. Ladders point up but they say the ground is greater; sunlight knitting to their brown feet green socks. They crestfall and buckle at the knee. Hear guts clap thunder off somewhere else but no storm in sight to maitre d' this mesa; got to rot the mud lest an urge to ripen ripens. But hear now the locusts flood this rut, hunt for want, impelled to eat each lunch of your decay. Earth uncorks her pores. you drift upon the grass, lift the damp from the sod like a pillow of cloud sopping Earth's steam- to be made the steward of this land; lightning flash! ladders shatter! Pay in full the cost of water, less labors not yet lost.