Holy Dirt

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for dirt—
soft enough to nurture a seed,
yet strong enough to anchor a tree.

Blessed are You
for the ground we walk on,
blessed brown substance.
It holds water for growing things
or softens into luscious, liquidy magic,
perfect for pigs, or three-year-olds.
It holds fence posts and foundations,
or allows us to dig even deeper,
to bedrock or water or oil.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for children and gardeners,
builders and farmers,
whose hands and fingernails
bear evidence of the blessing
(even after a good washing)
and return day after day
to the soil, remembering
what the rest of us have forgotten—
that dirt is sacred.