“How Does Earth Hold You” by Lyrik White
May 6, 2026
Earth holds me. It holds my breath in its trees with fresh air. The
Earth holds me with its rain, even through thunder and lightning.
The rain still dances in the air. The Earth holds me with the gravel
beneath my feet and the field in the distance. It still keeps me
afloat. The Earth holds me with the sounds of its buzzing bugs,
crawling critters. The Earth holds me with its art, from the puddles
to the sunset, the sunset to the ocean. It’s truly a sight. The Earth
holds me in all these different ways keeping me sane even in the
tornado days. Earth holds me. You are never alone with the Earth
in every corner.
This poem was written by Lyrik White as a 7th grader at Orca K-8 School, with WITS writer-in-residence ell lin. Performed at the Seattle Arts & Lectures Literary Arts Series event with Marlon James at Town Hall Seattle on May 6 2026.
Posted in Student Writing Writers in the Schools Support 2025/26 Season