Walking in the Woods

Weathered wood, the earth unfolds, The scent of cedar breathes beneath the bark; And as I walk, the wind draws through the trees, To beckon secrets through and through— The soft embrace of earth upon my feet Like tiny flames, every breath I take Shall brush past the shimmers bound and lose, As hands of nature stir about my chest, While each step is a hymn, a small echoing. Lo, I bow my head throw and throw, To recall the wild spins of living so, For while I linger, watching jade arise, These woodsy welcomes consume me whole.

• Sidney Keyes