Paul stood outside a cave
and listened to the earth breath.
He pictured two pink lungs
deep in the earth
drawing in and pushing out
a vermillion atmosphere.
Paul imagined a bear deep in hibernation
half way down the cave
confident the earth
would breath for it while it wintered.
He viewed active volcanos as the earth
coughing up fiery phlegm.
copyright © 2023 Kenneth P. Gurney
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