I look up and breathe.
Both my eyes close
as I exhale. I see you
take a breath after
I take mine. The air
between us thickens.
The energy flowing
means that tension
is growing. The air
between you and I
forms an invisible
wall – one too small
to see through. The air
between us dances
back and forth.
Recycled over again,
the air between us
is more than a gust.
The air between us
knocks off the rust.
It shakes off the dust.
I look up and breathe.
I smile and take in
the air that we share.
It’s been raining for 26 years straight.
I haven’t gotten tan since my life began.
Soaking wet, I had to learn to stay afloat.
I even built myself a boat. In my life,
I have seen friends, family, and strangers
encounter dangers only few understand.
I have seen some sink to the very bottom.
I never liked swimming, but it’s what I had
to do to keep living. I learned not to be
afraid to swim around before I sink down.
Some days, I’ll dive down to see buried
memories and under-water trees. The rain
never goes away as nature does its thing.
I am drenched, cold, and tired as I paddle
in place, creating ripples in time and space.
The water will rise higher, so I practice
holding my breath. I inhale first. I hope
for the best and prepare for the worst:
no air. I am under water, over my head,
but I am still alive, just extremely wet.
New Waves have been made.
Ripples and wakes take shape.
Water flows freely, beneath
me. The sea washes away
pain. Water tames flames
burning wild. New Waves
go with the flow. Old waves
really don’t. The calm sea
breathes like you and me.
New Waves will set us free.
Love and life flows inside
the New Waves that I ride.
As we know, breathing is a given right.
To stop someone from breathing means
to stop someone from living. We can’t
keep choking the air out of innocent
people – people who deserve better.
Think about those three words: I can’t
breathe. Does it stop your breath when
you think about those losing theirs?
To breath means to speak – to voice
opinions – to say “I love you”. Air
gets choked out of innocent lungs.
Let’s turn chokeholds into hugs.
Haven’t we learned that Mockingbirds
just want to dance and sing? Yet, we
still choose to harm them. All people
can’t breathe until they are set free.
I have taken many breaths,
some deeper than others.
I have closed my eyes
many times to feel alive.
Eyes closed, chest out,
I inhale and exhale pain
that fills the stale air.
Sometimes, I wish I didn’t
care or think so much.
Sometimes, I notice that
my breath takes me away
to a place deep inside.
In my life, I have taken
many breaths and I hope
to take many more.
The air cures my pain.
Now, I count my breaths
because I do not know
how many breaths remain.
IN YOUR DREAMS POETRY 