Around The Tree

A circle made

By learning feet

Above the roots

As walnuts fall

Left unused

As ashes rain

A sky of orange

A plume of smoke

Calling friends

Are you OK?

My people safe

Their towns in flames

I breathe in

A piece of place

Something sacred

Made by fire

From trees I loved

Animals I knew

They couldn’t leave

No time to run

From my lungs

Into my blood

Part of me

A memory

My flesh now holds

What was a tree

What was a bird

What was the woods

I walk in a circle 

Described again

By my shoes on soil

And my daughter’s steps

Pushing away

Fallen shells

Ashes and dust

Talking of water

We can breathe today

We can move our limbs

It is good to be

Alive right now