Riding Bareback Through the Universe- Janisse Ray

The earth does not move steadily,
spinning at one speed through the heavens,
but with the motion
of a wild stallion at full gallop
across a painted desert,
which is sweep and fall, sweep and fall.
The earth is waltzing.
Its cloud-tail streams behind like a comet’s.
Not only the earth. Every heavenly body
once thought steady, plodding even,
flings itself along with senseless joy.
In the sky an ecstasy of stars
stampedes through the universe.
You and I ride standing
on the back of earth,
feet firmly planted, side by side,
our love for this life
so thunderous and billowing
so wild and powerful
we finally understand celestial motion.
Around us thousands of leaves
leap up and down on their stems
and summer flowerheads
surge with the wind.