Prayer for Ruby Elm

Oh may the roots reach beneath the sleeping street
The station and the riverbed register what we won't hear
May the leaves bustle out the canopy
Shake and photosynthesize everything we're sorry for
Into one long breath of air

May the rings of tanglefoot and fiberglass
Guard against the thunderstorm, canker worms and climate change
May the bar rub away the power line
Bandage over knots and burls
Commemorate our injuries
May the hydro worker's blade be swift and precise

May the rope remember all the rhymes for knot
To lift me up and lay me down
Bear the swinging weight of love
May the birds answer carabiner clicks
Carry off the tiny seeds
Better ways to be alive
May it all seem plausible wherever we land
May we grow