What lies below affects the surface Who am I without the land?—the rivers, mountains, valleys, trees, forests—even the stones are alive and moving gayly. Our moments here, in company, or alone, all continual movement hones the very atmosphere, daily. I need to be near the skin of the earth—on my own, by myself with the land—gnawing the bone that flows, that knows my human frailty. The red in my blood is shown and repeated through nature’s stone. I am amazed that I actually thrive/ survive. The stone is blood red because of the loan of iron content—that special energy blown into and coming from the red color—life’s fluid drive. Balance, symmetry, consistency are touchstones. When the wind speaks, I am taken to the zone of pattern, movement and loveliness of the land, beauty that is transient, yet with healing undertones; a visual entrance into life which ebbs and flows with the red color—its energy flowing through all the land. *Inspired by Andy Goldsworthy, Rivers and Tides
Annette Gagliardi has poetry published in the Southwest Journal, Dreamers Creative Writing Online, Down in the Dirt Online Magazine, Trouble Among the Stars, Poetry Quarterly, Poetic Bond and others. She has work in three State’s poetry anthologies and her poem “Gourmand of Orange” has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Amethyst Review 