i was made of mud and twigs
and tufts of grass
and stones from the riverbed
my bones were logs
of fallen trees
destroyed by insects
eating into the core
i was molded
into the shape of man
with layers upon layers
mud upon logs
mud upon mud
clay riddled with rocks
pocking my skin
i was formed
i was deformed
i was reformed
and left to dry in the summer sun
my first breath
was a gust of wind
across the boggy marsh
caught up in the indentations
left by the thumbs
of the hands
that had sculpted me
my first vision
was of a cloudless sky
the first sounds i heard
were the frogs and crickets
and the lapping of water
and the chirping of birds
i steadied myself
i stood
i steadied myself
i looked around
for my creator
but all i could see
was mud and twigs
and tufts of grass
and stones from the riverbed
04.02.23