My breathing system seems to be:
these lungs within; without: those trees
……………………….. —Inspiration.
Conjoined
There are mountains in this pic of withered leaves—
as from a satellite
and voids
in shadows they recede
but I see
brittle peaks
bright spines
curling from dead stems
dry as earth desiccated by the practices
of men:
light filaments
that have broadcast life and breath:
sucked dioxide carbon in,
transmuted it like alchemists then
expired it as oxygen
dry lungs of trees
alveoli complements
sister lungs as close and tight as twins; consider:
when that one dies
this one withers
.
by Jim Culleny
5/15/12