Earth Mother

I Am The Barefoot Earth Mother who squats in the forest to give birth and suckles babies at her breast
I Am The One Who made pies three at a time
Substituted honey for sugar; whole grain for white; and once, for a season, goat's milk for cow's

I could live on peasant food--coarse bread chunks dunked in homemade soup--
potato, sausage and lentil, navy bean and ham--
I Am The One Who wears a sweater when cold
Puts socks on instead of turning up the furnace
I plant a garden, make jam, can tomatoes, bake bread

I Am The One Who rose at dawn to put wood in the pot belly stove
I stir the ashes
Stoke the fire
Keep the hearth fire burning