THE FIRST LIVING THING
By James Conroy

The first living thing
to place stone upon stone
was probably not human.

The first living thing
to coax sound from inanimate objects
was a musician we wouldn’t recognize.

The first living thing
to see omens in the sky
never filled a sandbag or mounded a levee.

The first living thing
to differentiate sharp from dull
crawled on belly a long way to the edge.

The first living thing
aware lightning causes fire
began moving with the seasons.

The first living thing
afflicted by the burden, canticles,
deluge, and scorch of love
wished it hadn’t, and
knocked the stone, smashed the reed,
drowned in the river, stabbed its heart
and was consumed in joy.