It's TED Talks Daily. I'm Elise Hu.

Listeners, we've got a little change of pace for you today.

Spoken word poetry. I'm so excited because this is beautiful.

From poet Naima Penaman, she recorded it for the Countdown Summit in 2021.

It's an evocative moving tribute to the natural world and our connection to it.

Enjoy.

I wonder if the sun debates dawns some mornings, not wanting to rise out of bed from under the down feather horizon.

If the sky grows tired of being everywhere at once adapting to the mood swings of the weather,

if clouds drift off China hold themselves together, make deals with gravity to loiter a little longer. I wonder if rain is scared of falling, if she has trouble

letting go, if snowflakes get sick of being perfect all the time,

each one trying to be one of a kind, I wonder if stars wish upon themselves before they die,

if they need to teach their young how to shine.

I wonder if shadows long to just for once feel the sun.

If they get lost in the shuffle not knowing where they're from. I wonder if sunrise and sunset respect each other,

even though they've never met, if storms have regrets, if volcanoes get stressed, if compost

believes in life after death.

I wonder if breath ever thinks of suicide.

If the wind just wants to sit still sometimes and watch the world pass him by, if smoke was born, knowing how to rise, if rainbows get shy

backstage, not sure if their colors match right. I wonder if lightning needs an alarm clock

to know when to crack if rivers ever stop and think of

turning back, if streams meet the wrong sea and their whole lives run off track.

I wonder if the snow wants to be black, if the soil thinks she's too dark, if butterflies want to cover up their

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