I Am Here

Run my hands through the earth, 
The dirt between my fingers,
The rain finally stops falling, 
The wind drifting through the trees.

My voice travelling across the valley, 
My feet planted in the ground.

My coat smells like vape, 
The rush of the city, 
Running in my veins, 
People rushing, 
traffic, 
noise, 
shouting, 
anger, 
hands, 
grabbing, 
reaching.

Stop.

Open my eyes.

Breathe in, 
The trees swaying in the breeze. 
Breathe out, 
The river winding through the valley. 
Breathe in,
The birds singing. 
Breathe out.

I yell across the valley: 

“I am here! 
I am alive!”

I look up to the open sky.
Let the healing begin.

© Paul Andrew Sneddon