As I read it aloud in our cohort during the Poetry & Lyrics session, I edited the original piece on the fly. It was a chance to update its meaning, allow it to mature in relevance to our cohort.
It is a pleasure to contribute this newer version of “Grounding Skyward” to the MEA community. Enjoy. I’d recommend you listen to my voice narrating this to feel the full effect.
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What will you put in the ground?
What will you dig into the dirt and place there?
What will you paint deep inside of the earth?
What will you demand that rays of sun
and a soak of rain hold concert with the soil to nurture?
What will you grow here?
Will it be fear?
Will it be doubt?
A low hanging fruit of your shortcoming?
Or a high branch of your forthcoming?
You.
What will you put in the ground?
What will you dig into the deep of your core to place there?
What will you plant inside the belly of your soul?
Demand that a shine of sun and a fall of rain pay tribute..
Soak the soil in your subconscious and nurture.
What will you grow here?
Will it be ghosts and phantoms of your past?
Or the Fantasia of your future?
Is it your situation or your solution?
Will it be footprints of failure or the footwork of fearlessness?
What will you put in the ground?
What will you dig deep inside yourself?
Allow to flow forth from you?
Will it be your purpose and your passion?
Will it be poised to weed out that which weakens you?
The fruit of fruition is a harvest that which has been hard earned, but damn was well worth
What are your branches becoming?
Are you reaching skyward for the sun?
Skyward for the rain while you stand knee deep in the dirt?
Proud of how the sky strikes tall and monument?
Green and lush?
Tough and life?
Do you see what you can grow?
…Where…you can grow
Whatever you want to part the world beneath you with –
Say to the sun, lend me your power
Rain. Lend me your power.
Ground. Lend me your power.
To make this grow. Make me grow.
So what will you put here?
Seeds of chance?
Seeds of choice?
Because these will grow – if you would forget what you think you know
Choose
Choose to put in the ground
What you wish to become.
Marshall Davis Jones is an author, speaker and founder of MindBodySpeak. He teaches Tonal Influence™ – a series of techniques to master the speaking voice, and, he just launched a new book, Tonal Influence : A Guide to Listen Better, Speak Clearer and Set the Tone. He serves as an advisor to numerous organizations leveraging his insights into human connection and vocal performance.