Faith from the dirt

The ground - such faith lives in the dirt
It prays that the seed will take to its bed
That the soil can once more quickly envelop its teeny charges, with few escaping to death
It begins to pray for water

How can the soil expect its prayers to be answered again
Year after year, it prays for water and the water comes
In a cloudburst from heaven or the steady misting from a man made device
It continues to pray for water

The soil is patient as a parable
Always sure of its purpose
Most assuredly aware of the pathway to harvest
But probably never aware of its power and strength to feed the world

Unknowingly the seeds nestle into the soil and nurse from the rain's benevolence
Swelling into abundance and bursting into the glory of green life
The soil is hidden now, a lowly shade of dirt brown next to the brilliant green crop
But its job goes on, supporting, bolstering, strengthening the sheaves

Now praying for the warmth of the sun
The scarcity of feeding deer and trampling elk
The sun hears and responds with glorious scorching warmth
Baking the wheat to a golden field of dancing abundance

The soil gives its life to the harvest
And mourns the wheat's departure with fine layers of dry, airborne dust
The soil will miss this crop and resign itself to waiting and praying
Praying for the strength and opportunity to sustain a new harvest of tiny, unknowing seeds

SS poetry inspired by the golden wheat fields of the Walla Walla Valley