WORM BY WORM

for Milwaukee, Growing Power, Will Allen, and all our local farmers

in 21^st century post-industrial milwaukee

city of foreclosures and soaring joblessness

the earth calls us forth to heal her

she’s been paved over, toxins dumped, trees sheared away

with emptied houses

closed schools

lunch programs cut

where is her silver spring?

industrialized then abandoned

we remake the earth

worm by worm

black gold

new earth smells like morning

like renewal

smells like community

ingesting all that we have discarded

the worms welcome it all

tree pulp beaten and bleached into paper

processed foods moldering and slimy

throw-aways of our material world

wriggling red worms

like the earth coming alive

the earth has been waiting for us to come and renew her

withstanding temporary devastation

by industry run amok

she knew we would return turn

turning over the compost pile

sift and sieve

nourishment everywhere

city hall gardens of mustard and cabbage

we walk through and graze during lunch hour

bovine, leaving hoofmarks of work shoes in the earth

beat your swords into plowshares

trade in your gun for a pitchfork

the weapon of choice

after all anyone can take life

but only the brave can make life

make kale and collards that survive the wisconsin winter

worm by redworm

polypropelene hoophouses the new native architecture

covering the milwaukee landscape

those who grow their own food

grow their own souls

families and communities

the worms teach us how to re-weave the fabric of community

neighborhood harvest parties

corn roasts

catch up on gossip at the local farmer’s market

worm by worm

mother earth’s revolutionaries