Rooted

On a day when the world feels weighty

let my gift to myself be deep listening

listening to my broken heart that’s taken

decades to heal and finally be held

listening to my gentle soul that responds

with empathy and compassion to others

whose hearts are also broken

listening to my inner wisdom and

my strong voice, even when she shakes.

I want to be more tree like when I speak

to feel my feet deeply rooted in sacred soil

my arms freely raised to the heavens to

receive and embrace the gifts of my

ancestors, the gifts of mana and ethereal light.

I want to feel the effortless strength of each

branch holding the weight of humanity,

the weight of our sovereignty, the weight of

our inherent birthrights with our creativity woven in.

I want to feel more tree like shooting out tender

life giving buds and beautiful, lush green leaves

with symmetry and predictability~

an oak will always be an oak, a maple always a maple.

I want to speak to the intricate but simple beauty of

each and every leaf, how they nourish the forest air

that I have the good fortune to breathe each and every day.

And the stems attached at each branch like little antenna

sending out signals to the next leaf and the next and next.

I want to feel the gentleness of the forest canopy and tell

you how safe and protected you truly are while stepping

thru this next magical portal.

On a day when the world feels weighty, let my gift to you

be known thru the comfort of my words, the assurance of my

inner knowing, and the felt sense of witnessing all of who

you are in this moment and all you will become in the next.

~Nonni Cole

11/14/2024