Hold Your Breath - The Acorn

There’s a river that parts the valley of this town, following the road up to

your father’s farm

Your rosy lungs were empty on the day that you were born

And no one thought you’d make it past the morning

Hold…

Your brother said your mother was a firefly you buried in the earth

And every night the firelight warms the tender bits of skin beneath your shirt

The climbing constellations move in semitones

And sit behind the county line in a melody of gravitation

Hold…

We’re calling on the colours of the globe

Sleep amongst the mango trees and poisoned oaks

A flood for every footprint, for every mile we forgot

Though your hands were little, we’d always

Hold your breath…

The sanctity of soil

Wandering roots and living oils

Unions underground

Sunrise still the same

And all around, mountains like diaphragms

Rhythms of a landscape that is breathing