dust is the quality
of the very good beginning
when God himself knelt down, spit on the dirt
and formed a man with it, shaped in his own image;
it is elemental and breathes, or maybe coughs, immortality.
dust saves what’s leftover from
skin shed and stars reborn, the sparkle of supernovas
and the dead residue of a scratched itch or
the sunburned peelings of summer;
it is ever descending, never condescending.
dust collects furniture, uninvited
it prefers antique malls but will settle for IKEA
if left outdoors, it covers fields and raises crops,
partial neither to vegetables, wheat, nor weeds;
it is ubiquitous and determined, a silent trespasser
dust keeps ancestors hidden
under the bed or put away in the attic, remnants
of old photographs in mouse-nibbled boxes, with
or without lids, unlabeled and unorganized;
it is freedom of no longer being confined to a body.
dust is the stuff of both
our past and future; we will all eventually
return to it which means it both comforts and
frightens us at different moments or maybe simultaneously
it is morbidity and chaos buried in cool, decaying soil.
_______________
Written in the style of “The Quality of Sprawl” by Les Murray and linked to poetics prompt by Kim at dVerse Poets pub.
a poem in my pocket 
Jun 07, 2023 @ 17:13:54
Lynn, I had never given real consideration to “dust” unless I was trying to erase it from furniture tops … I love how you dug deep and found so much to think about! Brava.
Jun 07, 2023 @ 17:42:09
Thank you, Helen…dust is everywhere and ever here 😉
Jun 07, 2023 @ 13:32:13
Such lovely imagery in this, Lynn! I especially love; “dust is the stuff of both our past and future; we will all eventually return to it.” ❤️❤️
Jun 07, 2023 @ 14:36:16
“Ashes to ashes and dust to dust…” thank you for your comment, Sanaa ❤
Jun 07, 2023 @ 10:19:56
I love the imagery in this
Jun 07, 2023 @ 11:46:57
Thanks 🙂
Jun 07, 2023 @ 02:54:05
I like the way you’ve found so many qualities of dust, Lynn, and started at the ‘very good beginning’. I love the lines:
‘dust is what’s leftover from
skin shed and stars reborn, both the sparkle of supernovas
and the dead residue of a scratched itch’
and those ‘ancestors hidden under the bed or put away in the attic’.
Jun 07, 2023 @ 07:11:52
Thank you for your feedback, Kim! Your interesting prompt inspired me 🙂
Jun 07, 2023 @ 07:35:10
My pleasure, Lynn.
Jun 06, 2023 @ 22:34:13
Stashed in the attic or left out for all to see….dat be us all, sooner or later, eh? I’m diggin dat dust, Sister. Thanks
Jun 07, 2023 @ 07:13:26
Oh, yes, we can dig in the dust too 😉 I appreciate your comment, Ron.
Jun 06, 2023 @ 20:37:03
Thanks for helping me to look at dust in another way.
Jun 06, 2023 @ 21:48:31
My pleasure, Lisa 🙂 But i admit that dusting is NOT a favorite activity…i’d rather read/write poetry!
Jun 07, 2023 @ 11:00:49
I understand 🙂
Jun 06, 2023 @ 20:34:18
I love that last line as well! Very well done
Jun 06, 2023 @ 21:46:59
i appreciate your appreciation 🙂
Jun 06, 2023 @ 19:50:55
You put a unique perspective on dust with:
it is freedom of no longer being confined to a body.
It is our beginning and end.
Jun 06, 2023 @ 21:46:28
Exactly, our beginning and our end…thanks, Grace!
Jun 06, 2023 @ 19:40:23
I really love what you did with this one, Lynn. Such a great take on the prompt. This verse caught me off guard at first…
dust is ancestors hidden
under the bed or put away in the attic, remnants
of old photographs in mouse-nibbled boxes,
Jun 06, 2023 @ 21:45:49
I’m glad you like it, Dwight…sometimes my thoughts take me by surprise as well 😀
Jun 06, 2023 @ 19:20:29
Good one!
I especially like “it is morbidity and chaos packaged as cool, decaying soil.”❤️
Jun 06, 2023 @ 21:42:39
Thanks for reading, Melissa…i appreciate your comments!