Famous

(after Naomi Shihab Nye)

the apple is famous to the branch

the rain is famous to the roof
and to the gutters and the street drains
down into the pipes

those feelings you get are famous
to your gut, whether you know it or not

the dishes are famous to the sink
coming back again and again

the painting is famous to the frame

I want to be famous to babies
still resting in the womb,
to morning birds out the window,
to every ancestor I have ever had

I want to be famous like the atmosphere
always there, composed of a million parts, invisibly
creating the perfect conditions for life