ENVIRONMENTAL Poem: THE PRIVATE GAIA COLLECTION, by Nicole Scott

1. Throwing birthday parties
for immortal jellyfish

2. Dropping and blooming flower petals,
icing water like a cake

3. Wringing out the clouds
like your grandma’s dish towel

4. Piercing a straw straight into
the grape, stealing the first drink of wine

5. Rewinding orange juice pulp,
reminding it of its other exquisite faces

6. Putting fairy lights in the abyss
so translucent fish can witness their lovers

7. Naming all of the groups of things,
like an exaltation of larks

8. Tucking in the inchworms,
around cold and beautiful tombstones

9. Placing colors you can’t see
in their indigo and seafoam homes

10. Blowing kisses and lifting
Earth up in the shy desert

11. Turning the sun on so we can see
animals make love in the dark