Fear turns me into a tree.
Every pruning healed
becomes an eye.
Sunlight plays the leaves,
each a pool of green incandescence,
a window to the heart.
Every wound a hieroglyph.
Each whisper a new chord.
Come inside my radiant dream:
a phoenix fruit ripens unseen.
This appears in the March 2025 issue of Sojourners
Did this article have an impact on you? Tell us how! Whether you’re moved to take action, have a question, or want to share a comment (good or bad), we value your feedback!