praise her simple, proud name.
praise absorbing her divinity
through the window of an airplane.
praise the contour of a bison's neck.

praise wide-brimmed hats
shading wide-grinned smiles.
praise the miles of bumpy dirt road,
silence giving justice to laughter.

praise gold sun melting into the lake
like butter on a warm pancake.
praise be the spiders crowding the path
when it’s warm, signs of abundance

praise be the valley
which once cradled an ancient sea
now vast but not empty,
dramatic but not performative.

praise the towering sky.
praise the way grass flows like water
through blood, salty tears
and ebbing shores.

praise be the lanterns we sent.
we watched them rise
above her firmament, clear and still.
praise be that stillness.

salted shores next to brine broth,
colorful salt-water patchwork!
thank you for listening
when my voice shook.

where can we turn to if not salt-heal
waters rippling in, away, around
pluvial mum's arms swaddling?

Lines by Sue, Angela, Rachel, Michelle, Liz, Zac, and Margo, compiled on December 14th, 2021