Lost in the forest,
alone, afraid, abandoned,
I fall to my knees,
bury my face in my hands,
and weep.

When my tears have ended,
when I have exhausted my grief,
I open my eyes and look around:
trees have gathered,
forming a protective circle,
arms joining above, sheltering me,
roots forming a nest, cradling me,
leaves whispering, assuring me,
a community of life,
preparing for rebirth.

A new womb.
A second chance.

Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.