As the limbs bend
with the weight of the leaves
sodden with rain

I am reminded
how rooted I am
to the ground of my being—

to the saturated moss
with its little streams
seeping into the earth,

to the dirt and mud
caking the soles of my boots,
to the sound of the wind.

I am reminded
as I touch, re-touch
this lichen-covered stone

how deep down I am growing,
inch by cellular inch
into my father’s bones.