'Roots'

Look at these roots
shining with rain

and gripping soil 
in plain, defiant 

sight. We’ve carved
through bedrock

clasped hard ground 
while the world 

rocked. Our beauty’s 
in the gnarl, the twist

Our age
is depth. Fierce

we held when tempests
raged. We are 

the anchors 
of these woods

unyielding, radiant 
with life...