These Kansas Plains

I set myself down upon this green grassy hill Above the clouds that bring the cold rain And I think to myself what a thrill It would be to roll down and leave a green stain All over my the back of me. How it would fill My heart with great joy. I wouldn’t even complain. The fields sing to me. This is my home, the place my soul was conceived and born. The golden and green fields that let creatures roam As they discover their place in this worn Out, overly busy, world. This loam Soil gives birth to the true riches. It’s death we will mourn. I leave my body firmly planted With the grass tickling my bare feet. I stare across the valley and am enchanted By the rolling hills, the cattle, the wheat. I wonder how I ever took this land for granted. All the blessings left to me, the memories so sweet. Sitting here on this green grassy hill I make a promise to myself to remember the rains falling on the land, and my face giving me such thrill. The ache of having left this life behind pains Me to my core. So I close my eyes. Hold still. Burn into memory every emotion of these Kansas plains. 23 August 2021 Imagism Poetry Contest - Emile Pinet