Earth Stories - 5

Kneeling down under a neem tree
in low light (dawn has barely arrived)
I hold, in my palm, a ball of red earth.
Tears roll down my face as I smile at
the soil in my palm, now marked.

Waking up, I know I was awake while
seen to be asleep and have seen my
future and past rolled up together 
in my palm – a ball of red earth.