civilized man seeks to turn me
into his beast of burden
with wake up calls by 5:30am
the daily, repetitive pattern
of sludging through a weekly grind
piling loads of manure
onto a steely spine
teeth set in stone
jaw becomes rigid
legs hoof it up
diverse terrain
the wilderness of my soul
grows vacant and weary
it withdraws
from societal expectations
of home payments, full-time jobs,
of responsible consistency and irksome
must do's and gotta have's
my spirit is a garden
it sits in a dank and dark repose
gathering puddles of light
and pools of stored nutrients
chromosomes and cells slow to accumulate
yet awaiting the moment
to burst forth and emerge
in a pageantry of color
glory be to all who gaze
