cypress gets to its knees
to pray for breath
without it, breadth is not attained and
age falls away

oxygen becomes important
when rooted trees have not-enough
so
boscoyos come up from the bosque
as kneeded

how do I breathe for you
now?
you won’t root me in your soul
to
let me come up from your swampy
depth to fill your need

or mine


c. 2023 Roberta Compton Rainwater