after “The Meteor of 1860” (1860) by Frederic Edwin Church

Everything that we know comes to this earth
is dead.

Maybe the shining are gods
when they visit someplace else.

When they come to us,
we die too.

Everything that I know comes from this earth
lives.

So desperate to shine in earth's reflection
is the sun going through the moon

to the water
to get to you.

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LYDIA RAE BUSH is a poet exploring embodiment and social-emotional development. Rae’s work is Best of the Net nominated, and her publications include Free Bleeding (dogleech books, ’25) and Keeper, Seeker, Dragon of the Sea (Bottlecap Press, ’25). Lydia is an associate editor for Sage Cigarettes Magazine, and can be found pretty much anywhere, generally wiggling.