by Jeral Williams

“When the dung beetle moves, know that something has moved it. And know that its movement affects the flight of the sparrow, and know that the raven deflects the eagle from the sky and that the eagle’s stiff wing bends the will of the Wind People, ad know that all this affects you and me, and the flea on the prairie dog, and the leaf on the cottonwood.”
by Tony Hillerman. The Ghostway

When an elephant defecates — and it defecates a lot — our world changes.
Dung beetle ingestion shakes the chain
honey badgers and meercats smile,
lions, leopards and crocs grow alert.
 Insects devour, birds pray thanksgiving 
and butterflies come for warmth.
Dung becomes compost and new growth habitat.
Dung thrown on a fire 
keeps mosquitoes away,
provides headache relief
and gives warmth.
 Dung provides emergency water,
enhances coffee and beer,
 is a medium for paper,
creates gas for stoves,
and even fills potholes.
When worthless feelings arise,
when age seemingly outlives usefulness 
it helps to recall
the lowest matter matters 
 and God has a purpose for all.
God first, others as ourselves
 brings love and other fruit to those in need,
a worthy purpose indeed.

Jeral Williams is a poet living in Mobile, Alabama. He is a retired professor whose Christian journey has been long and winding. He has published “Being a Proverbial Student,” a reflection on the need for Christian students to pursue knowledge, and “A Sunset Without Dawn,” a collection of poems about grief over the loss of a daughter. His weekly blog can be found at his website: proverbialstudent.com.