Do you love this world? Do you cherish your humble and silky life? Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath? - Mary Oliver

The poet dreams of the classroom

I dreamed
I stood up in class
And I said aloud:

Teacher,
Why is algebra important?

Sit down, he said.

Then I dreamed
I stood up
And I said:

Teacher, I’m weary of the turkeys
That we have to draw every fall.
May I draw a fox instead?

Sit down, he said.

Then I dreamed
I stood up once more and said:

Teacher,
My heart is falling asleep
And it wants to wake up.
It needs to be outside.

Sit down, he said.

There is only one question:
how to love this world.

How can we ever stop looking? How can we ever turn away?