Among the Trees
Kristi Joy Rimbach
Pressing palms against warm bark I feel a whoosh of sunlight. Time stretches out like a long thin pour of honey; sweet and glistening. A heartbeat lasts a whole day here. An in-breath heaves the sun up over the horizon and the exhale pushes it down the other side. The pop of a new leaf unfolds like a dust mote floating to earth, slow and exquisite. Each breath flows like soft cotton from my open mouth, sending ripples through green bridges and folds. It is quiet here. I can hear the footsteps of ants, dead leaves decomposing, the trickle of water flowing up stems and trunks. I stand for hours held by the collective reach toward the sky. Here, I can swallow sunlight and drink tree sap and live forever.
Kristi, this poem is exquisite! I feel so present when I read it, as if I'm in the exact place, some heavenly woods steeped in sunlight. Thank you for sharing your work with this us today.
“Here, I can swallow sunlight and drink tree sap
and live forever”, i ache for this. Beautiful poem!