I like Dirt

I like dirt.

When I was a little girl,

 I would wander in the dirt clods

as daddy worked in the tobacco field.

 

I would dig holes in the yard.

And gather worms to take fishin’.

I would play in the brown water of the creek

that ran alongside the house,

but more probably that was mud.

No kid ever left my house as clean as they came.

 

I know that dirt is important.

The smell and the feel of dirt in spring,

when the tractor is plowing the fields for planting,

sends my spirit into metaphorical

backflips and somersaults.

 

My soul loves the smell of spring dirt.

I like the smell of dirt in the fall, too.

Sweet and musty-- full of rotting leaves

helped on its way by rain water,

fall air lets us know summer is dying.

 

I have a grand appreciation for dirt.

I don’t have time to sweep

behind kids and dogs and husband.

Mostly--dirt doesn’t interfere

with the happiness of the children.

I like dirt.

Mammaw always said we have to eat

Half a pound of dirt before we die.

I figure dirt must be healthy.

It never hurt me.

 

Reviews

[h d e rushin]

there is that part in fingerpainting that you appreciate the duty more than the outcome. Where
you really dont care what the painting is about, just that it was done and the doing of it makes you
love out loud.

this poem is a fingerpainting of sorts. A slow paced urgent language like watching sweet potatoes
or carrots grow out from the earth. I know (and remember) this dirt of liveliness and imagination.
The dirt that exposes itself to fire/ the dirt of the speed of childhood. Just marvelous.

You remain one of the more important poets of this new century Ms. Burns. And we are
forever in your debt.....dana

[Emily B]

I had forgotten this little clod :) thank you for causing me to remember

[Miss Shea]

Awe - this makes me mis 'kid-hood' and reminds me of my art teacher and ,somedays, myself. I love how the little things are pointed out as most important. :]

[Alexander W. Quinn]

The last four lines are priceless. :) If only more people could appreciate the wholesome fun of gettin' a lil' dirt on you.

[SweetPeachesAlways]

I forgot how much I like dirt, until now! I like dirt! Yes, the feel of the earth in your hands! A shoveful always contained more than just dirt, too, didn't it? Small pebbles, small insects scurrying out of reach, tiny pieces of this and that! Yes, an interesting insight into something we all just take for granted every day! I like this! And I like dirt!

[Leesah]

absolutely loved this, it brought me back to some good ol days.....excellent.

[Raef C. Boylan]

I remember reading this the first time around and liking it then too. The snippets of childlike and regional dialect work well to give us a sense of your narrative character.

"but more probably that was mud" - seems like this line could do with re-wording slightly as the sentence strays a little from making sense, unless I haven't understood, or perhaps the structure is intended to increase the tone of childhood memories through the eyes of the then-child? Damn, what a nonsensical wordy passage this needlessly is; you should probably ignore any ideas from me on language use lol.
It's just that at the time of reading, i thought 'maybe she means "which was most probably mud" or "but more probably that was mud too" '.

All hail mud!
Great write. Fun and lovely reminiscence, with an underlying message of good sense [we're destroying our immune systems by over-cleansing our environments of dirt].

[brianna vega]

i love it

[Master Morality]

Made me smile and luagh this did - nice ending.

[Mark Pearce]

I love it when a writer focuses upon common, everyday (but often overlooked) things.

I think we are the same kind of people.

By the way, this could qualify for my "The Kitchen Sink" poem contest if you're interested.

[Phill Oz O'fee]

A creative observational composition which takes a subject (in this instance dirt) and puts a whole new perspective and fresh meaning to it! Excellent piece, beautifully written!

God's Blessing
Phillozofee

[Chiquita]

Dirt is good. It has never hurt me either. Nice write.