I started by dredging 

eventually,

succeeding 

with a pile of 

soft sienna earth 

soft things squirmed 

in the grains 

as I kept digging 

making sweat 

and sounds 

with every crease

and pull 

eventually the black 

seemed deep enough

I remember thinking 

“this hole seems

quite birthed”

I dragged the hose 

across the yard 

around the pile 

to the newly made bowl 

I paced around 

as the water filled 

some and almost all

just 

until I stopped the hose 

the ground being so selfish

would suck up every bit 

and leave just soggy dirt

it never occurred to me 

I’d ever need something else 

something else, 

to fill the void. 

– sc