Down to Earth

Down to earth
A bitter slap
An iron label chained
To my wrists and ankles
Chained to me
By you
I smile politely
Voice my thanks
Debating in my mind
How to tell you that
The conclusion you’ve
Drawn about me
Is utterly and completely
False
Down to earth
I do try but
I can never seem to
Tether down my thoughts
Like everyone else
For
They always loved to
Fly
Far far away
Especially from
Blinded people
Like you
I attempt to lower my eyes but
My gaze always spirals
Upwards
To meet my soul
Where it dwells happily
In the kingdom of the
Everlasting
Sky
Dancing with the colorful birds which
Sing an
Exotic melody
Loudly mocking such an
Obvious lie as
Down to earth
Without illusions
No
That is not true
Everything I am is
An illusion created
Just for you
I smother my opinions and
Pretend not to care
Act like my heart isn’t aching
When I see pain and darkness
Everywhere
Down to earth
Perhaps I’m on earth but
I’m not of it
My limbs are of made of the
Faded
Smooth wood of a delicate
Dancing
Pencil
My blood is composed of
Silky black ink
My pulse drumming out
Fascinating
Word
Combinations
My skin is made of fine
Paper
As light as feathers
Anxious to be defined by
My thoughts
I am not made of
The world’s burdensome things
Those of the world are
Heavy
Barely able to walk or think or speak
Their hearts are made of solid stone
Chiseled out of
Hate
Their blood is a deep dark mud
Mixed in with so so many
Abandoned things
Their skin is composed of sand
A million specks that
Day by day are
Lost to
Life’s cruel
Wind
Down to earth
This is not true
I am up high
In a small castle of
Clouds and stars and life
Waiting for you
To catch a vine and
Pull yourself up and out of
Your hollow life of lies
Up and up
To where my thoughts
Truly reside
I’m waiting for you to
Climb up here for
I know that
I will never come
Down to
Earth

-Megan M. Phillips

down-to-earth
adjective
with no illusions or pretensions; practical and realistic.