The Hole that Swallowed You

Do you even remember

the hole that swallowed you?

Or have you

been down there

so long

that even the darkness

feels familiar?

Do you even know

yourself?

And what

you want?

Or are you all dirt

and air?

---

Below the roots

that once

grounded you

on which sit

the trees that tower

above, the soaring sky

way up there

it’s limitless

it’s effortless

it’s free

---

Why don’t you go there?

Because it is cool and

sheltered and

safe

in the hole?

---

You were born

under the sky

welcomed

by the stars

and held

by the trees,

their branches

forming boughs

that cradled you

branches

connected to roots

searching and reaching

for you

in the hole

that swallowed you

whole