To Trust in yourself and the Land
By Arianna

Samhain, Summer’s End has past
the ones we tend to come in from grazing and
huddle close for bodies’ warmth.

What now will sustain us in the dark months ahead?

Apple and Autumn Olive
Grape and Cherry
Beech and walnut
Nettle and herbs dried by the hearth.

Sweet talk and a soothing hand
Fruits and vegetables we’ve canned
Mead made by this giving land.

What matter of folk are you
who turn to the Earth, kneel, and dig true?

Come; sing hope of the forager’s way
we are but gatherers of life’s bounty on any given day.

© 2011, Arianna Alexsandra Collins

Arianna Alexsandra Collins, naturalist, priestess, poet, writer, and wild edible enthusiast lives in Ashfield, MA.

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