a herd of tree animals
received my prayer today
but only after
i’d run my hand
over mossy back
pressed fingers
to bark belly
tripped over
earthy tendrils
there was a turn
in the path today
where my heart burst
free
of the vines that held it tight
of the lies that kept me right
but only after
i’d sipped
and gulped
and choked
on green breaths
only then
could i sing
the Amen
of a forested prayer
an answered prayer
an answer that’s hard to bear
This poem was inspired by a trip to the indigenous forest at Mariepskop, Limpopo, in May 2023. There was a section of the forest, just at the start of our walk, that caught and held me until I burst. In an instant, I understood: I’d been waiting too long, wishing for a different answer, hoping I wouldn’t have to hurt someone. Walking through that area on the way back, I felt its same strange pull on me. What made this spot so powerful and alluring? What other moments have transpired there, and how long ago?
PHOTO: Ricky Esquivel/Pexels
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