Eyes Wide and Down

People always talk about looking up at stars in wonder,
but I prefer looking down,
up-close, and
inside.

I love insects and barnacles,
mosses and lizards,
earth.

I love gradations of rust in junk parts and
strange patterns in tree bark.

Galaxies are great,
but I prefer the miniature universes
of cells, microbes, mosses.

I like to tip over rocks
watch little crabs scuttle off,
sifting through grass
for salamanders.

The world at our feet
full of art,
full of wonder.

That’s not to say that I dislike stars
or stargazers;
no.

It’s just to say that,
as far as I’m concerned
down
and up-close
and within
is where the real action is.

Copyright 2018 Jeff Suwak

Oregon Coast Hike

Down Here, Everything Becomes Art