Infant Earth birthed Her first cloud
After waiting millions of years
For Her hot steam to escape a cooling globe.

Finally, Her vapors condensed into droplets.
Forming a thick, solid cloud layer
Completely shrouding Her body
Like a naked woman,
Who, surprised by an intruder, robes in modesty.

Her cloud, pregnant with water,
Spawned lightening bolts and thunder
That finally gave birth to drenching rainfall.
As She cooled, these torrents formed rivers
Conjoining into oceans.

After millennia, She reached a state of balance.
Her cloud cover thinned into beautiful formations…
Cumulus, cirrus, stratus,
With patches of blue sky.

Above the Narrows, on the bridge
Looking back at Manhattan,
I glance above the missing towers,
A pall of orange-putrid smoke
Hung over the city and the Hudson.
A cloud containing particles of human life.