what writes itself on the surface of the stream
reveals its lungs in concentric circles
to me tethered to the bank
as pale gold leaves let go of the trees
surrender to the current
yesterday the ripples in the creek
felt like god speaking
but today only tadpoles
wriggle in the shallows
I plead the divinity
in the water anyway
need to know when
this melancholy intrinsic as breathing
will leave me
sometimes I crave complete quiet
deep dark and black
but each day I trust
drink from the cup
walk in the sunlight
beside the river
Jeanette Barszewski received an MFA in Poetry from Brooklyn College. Her poems and short fiction have appeared in Literary Mama, Cooper Street, O-Dark-Thirty and Elixir Verse.
Jeanette is a queer writer currently residing in Hamilton, NJ with her family. She enjoys old-lady hobbies like gardening and making art out of pressed wildflowers. You can find out more about her at www.jeanettebarszewskiauthor.com