Now

Now what has fallen down bring back up,
now send the steam into the sky
cloudless and blank, awaiting,
now pretend this never happened,
that the clouds were never ripped open
and let drain and pour erasing the shores,
now dress the sky with clouds again,
now let the skinned ones feel
how it can press against the skin,
how it can be so thick, what rises,
now make the clouds dance with you,
make them sometimes cover you
as a mistress covers her lady,
let now the line shine through
again, let it show us a royal crown
before meeting our faces
with stern countenance,
now embrace us until we can no longer take
your manic motherliness,
now send cool showers upon us
forgive us for addressing you,
you lifeless fire
fire source of life,
now shine as you will,
continue igniting your perpetual cycle
but, lo, now we need more safety from you
than clouds, we fear; now show saintly mercy
on us before we cry dry, salty tears.