i still trust you to carry me

by Brooke Walker

the rain is your embrace.

i will let it become a river.

i will be the fallen leaf -

from rigid to pliant.

feel the weight of my body,

pulled by the current,

twisting and dancing.

moved through where i must go,

to find where i am meant to be.

i will brush the rocks

and trapped foliage

with my fingertips

as i glide past.

i will tumble over obstacles,

veering the direction you suggest.

i will trust in the love that washes over me.

i will let it cradle my body.

i will let it move my body.

i will let it protect my body.

always sending me

toward my greater purpose,

making sure i arrive safely.

i will feel the softness

and the dirt.

i will live,

and i will thrive.

and one day,

this river

will bring me to rest.

tattered, torn,

nearly dust myself -

i will settle

and hug the riverbed.

i will become the foundation

over which all love flows.

i will lay the path with you

for the leaves yet to fall.

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About the Author

Brooke Walker is a queer disabled poet and artist from rural Pennsylvania. They work with themes of death and grief, love and healing, and spirituality through nature. They also work as a public speaker sharing their story of mental health recovery in schools. brookeewalker.substack.com; Brooke Walker Botanicals (Facebook and Instagram)