by Chris Hoffman
I sit here, borrowing
lungsful of air from the world
and returning them used
and slightly damp,
one after another.
I know that somewhere
tender sprouts are uncurling
and billions of small green hands
are taking in this soiled laundry
and setting it out again, newly washed,
like prayer flags fluttering in the sun.
When I stand up
and move my body
or speak with this very breath
I know I must do it
on behalf of us all.
Chris Hoffman’s poetry has appeared in his two books, Cairns and
Realization Point, and in various journals and anthologies. He is also the author of
The Hoop and the Tree: A Compass for finding a Deeper Relationship with All
Life, a work on ecopsychology and spirituality. Website: www.hoopandtree.org
Send poetry submissions of 250 words or fewer to poetry@boulderweekly.com.
