Listen
to what the water tells you
when it sates the parched
parts of your soul,
when you think the world
has left you
and the leaves begin
to fall.
To the ticking sound
the clock makes,
every breath you still
sustain,
and the thumping
in your chest
that sends life out
to your veins.
Count
the dewdrops in the morning
when you first greet
the sun,
how it affirms your right
to take up space
in the world from which
you run.
There are mountains
far from view
that you think has none
to do with you,
but they keep the earth
from crumbling
and from washing over
you.
‘Tis the language
of the silent; what they speak
when you can’t hear.
Listen to her sighs
every time you are near.
They say all you need to know
when you feel the dread
humming low.
September 15, 2023
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