Breathe, by Jim Maloy

We are blessed to be

Part of Earth’s breathing:
A Big Breath moves
Quadrillions of molecules of air
Circling around a globe.

We feel this breath against
Our animal skin as
It shouts or
Whispers In our ears,
There is no silent breath,
Just some we do not hear.

Planet breath inflating your lungs
A busy, ballooning marketplace

Where oxygen is traded for CO2 and
CO2 is swapped for oxygen,
Blood meeting atmosphere;
Heart pumps;
Lungs pump.
Breath circulates.
Blood circulates.
Atmosphere circulates.

So many circles.
“Spiritus” is “breath”
Is Spirit.
Matter breathes.
Breath matters.
Earth: Ocean, River, Marsh, Forest, Blade of grass
Breathe.
Asteroids falling, stirring the air,
Part of the breathing.

Moon and Sun tugging on
Waters and waves of
Invisible air . . . .
Mostly we breathe
With our green sisters and brothers.
Forest breathes out;
We breathe in.
We breathe out;
Lavender, rose, violet, marsh grass, maple

Breathe in.
Each breath in—
Inspiration.

Each breath out--
Expiring--a little death,
And breathing in—rebirth.

Rhythm:
Breathe in
Breathing out
Breathe. . . .

The air that does not belong to us;
Maybe we belong to her:
Mama Gaia, not dead yet,
Breathing. . . . .
The breath we are. . .

Blessed to be.