your ship leaves today
by t. zoEy benally

take a baby to brazil
lush leaves drown in flattened crayon
tip rounded by repeated scrubs
across bleached tree fiber
grease pencil outlines contain festivals
parrot blues, brown soil reds
dirt drenched with decayed vegetable matter

wait, let me write this down
scribble it on my hand
before i turn around
else, when i turn--red sandstone
canyon cheekbones & chin
doused in indespensable radiation
that powers The Solar System
--i will have forgotten

Gaia dances, twirls
ocean skirts and terra buttons
hey man, your ship leaves today