Prayer For Ruby Elm

[Verse 1]

Oh may the roots reach beneath the sleeping street

Station in the riverbed, register what we won’t hear

May the leaves puzzle out the canopy

Shake and photosynthesize everything we're sorry for

Into one long breath of air

[Verse 2]

May the rings of tanglefoot and fiberglass

Guard against the thunderstorm, canker worms and climate change

May the bark rub away the power line

Bandage over knots and burls

Commemorate our injuries

May the hydro worker's blade be swift and precise

[Verse 3]

May the rope remember all the rhymes for knot

To lift me up and lay me down

Bear the swinging weight of love

May the birds answer carabiner clicks

Carry off the tiny seeds

Better ways to be alive

May it all seem plausible wherever we land

May we grow