I want to be a tree 

a tree lives in the earth 
and the sky 
grounded but reaching 
grasping upward 

a tree bends and sways 
with the swirls of wind 
but stays standing 
resisting collapse 

a tree sleeps when winter
comes 
when times are lean 
it sheds who it once was 
but returns fuller 

a tree is useful 
even when it is cut down 
even when it has become 
a carcass a memory 

on the tundra there are
no trees 

instead 

there are 
people vertical 
on the horizontal 
landscape 

I want to be a person 

a person lives with the
earth 
and the sky 
grounded but imagining 
dancing among the lights 

a person bends and sways 
with the drums 
lifts up its hands 
stomps the earth 

a person works when
winter comes 
when times are lean 
it provides for those
around 
makes sure they are full 

a person is useful 
cutting the meat and fat 
honoring the carcass 
and its memory 

on the stars there are no
people 

instead there is the 
aurora vertical 
above the horizontal 
landscape 

I want to be aurora 

aurora kisses the earth 
from the sky 
reaching downward 
and upward simultaneously 

aurora bends and sways 
with the swirls of wind 
winks out 
but returns fuller 

aurora wakes when winter
comes 
when times are lean 
it inspires the people 
and the trees 

aurora is beautiful 
cutting across the sky 
carrying the corpses 
and their memories 

I want to be aurora