Given.(Poem)

 
GIVEN 
 
   After the news, after hours 
   at a computer, after---or before-- 
   the spring storm, after weeks 
 
   of inaction, the removal 
   of shoes and lacing up 
   of boots, his one 
 
   planned act is to dig-- 
   raise and let settle a dark flock 
   of sods. The first, against the odds, 
 
   not-so-intractable earth 
   at his service. The next 
   --after a breather--confirms 
 
   the readiness and range of it. 
   Gigantic, the fresh spadefuls 
   of planet; wrecked worms 
 
   like swimmers fighting 
   incredible turbulence. 
   It is civilisation that disturbs 
 
   them--and the action 
   of a man who, having 
   its backing, gets immersed 
 
   in moving sidelong, heave 
   after heave, then reverses a step, 
   triumphant over weeds. 
 
   ...