Canyon Stars

It started with a humble
scratch in the dirt
that turned into a trench,
then a mine, then a canyon.
This week has gone startlingly deep;
there are ancient roots

showing everywhere
and now, here I am
in the lowest bottom
where the only smell is dirt and
all around me is dark,
but I can see stars

when I look at the blue noontime up top.
From where I’m standing,
that appears to be the only reason
I’m here: to see stars in a daylight sky
that’s a mile farther away from me
than it is from everyone else.