alone

I wish to be alone 

in a place where the trees tower and the animals roam

with my head craned 

                                   rd

                         wa

                en

        av

he

to catch a glimpse of the 

        sun

book in hand, camera in tow, 

pen poised to capture elegant prose 

alone with my thoughts

        but held by the sky, 
numb to the world but                 alive in my mind

As I humbly approach a mighty sequoia, 

my palm is drawn to its earthy hue and 

    as I lean in, 

        I feel once again held, 

                                    healed even, 

by a being much more ancient than I, 

    wise, true, and never felled. 

I breathe in deeply,

the tree’s aura–a mix of bark and dirt, 

                                       sunlight and shade

mingled so eloquently

in this grounding 

    behemoth. 

giving me liberty

to be 

        alone 

                and free.

from 4/18/2022