Breathe

A massive woodland oak tree

swallowed up a broke red barn,

then it toppled on the highway..

spat it out across the dawn.

I was walking, nature gawking

when I came upon 2 snakes...

One was brown and made of dirt,

One was red & made of clay.

they raced up both my pant legs,

and they criss-crossed up my back,

then they swirled into a thick rope..

and they tightened on my neck.

I thought I saw an oak tree

swallow up a broke down barn

then fall down on the highway

spitting colors on the dawn.

It must have been I'd passed out,

then awoken by a breeze.

across my neck

brown and red letters

spelled out the word

B-R-E-A-T-H-E.

I know I saw an oak tree

swallow up a broke red barn

& I know I felt new reasons

to try to stay alive.