I looked out the window, goodness me
torrential rainfall in Germany

on the TV a reporter said
people are missing, many are dead

aerial views of the devastation
leave no room for the imagination

they show the extend of the flood
which left the area covered in mud

horrendous stories and detailed accounts
explain what happened and no one doubts

this is a direct result of the climate change
experts say, it's neither surprising nor very strange

Blankets of verdant emerald over fallen limbs,
Crooken arms,
Enclosing up and over and under,
Walk, sting, stop, puddle,
Ankle deep in laughter and brown, murky water,
Joy spread across our faces,
Mud smeared up our arms, legs, hands and hats,
Indestructible powerhouses with totally vulnerable feet,
Like ducks and foxes and rabbits.
The spongy bark or mighty trees fills me with hope,
That my wounds will heal.

I’ve missed this language,
this tongue in my ear of birdsong,
branch creak and rattle,
this chattered water flowing with thought
and question
immobile months have seen my soul ossify
so I’ll embrace this caked mud and heavy boot
and whistle-tread awake

I solve problems
To get my blood flowing
I play like a happy child
When I'm on an obstacle course

Getting ever more complex
And solving it even more gratifying
I make a mud castle
And kick it down, when I'm bored