Willing

Willing I am willing to stay.I am will-ing my soul to stay—to fulfill this contract with the Earth,with this hearth, this wild home. I am will-ing myself to embracethe shadow and the light,the ferocity and the fear—the bodies and the sweat—and the pain and the tears—the searing flesh—the terrifying fall—the overwhelminglove. I am willing to be here. For before, I have left—before, I have said, “No, thank you—this wild and outrageous planet istoo dark, too wild, too unpredictable.” I have flipped the switch,tucked back through too soon—chosen the planets of sound and light,waiting for the choice to come backto a Earth lifetime that doesn’t include pain. But, they tell me,(as they have told me before),It. will. never. come. This planet is a planet of pain. And you come tore-member your strength—to bridge stardust and soil—to weave the power and inexplicable love you know so wellinto the dense and terrible matter of this wild and capricious planet. And so, this time, this time, this time.I am willing to stay. I am will-ing myself to stay.