Posted on March 6, 2026 by Jenn Zatopek

THE WIND AND HER GIFTS

Winds brush my cheeks
I step into school
with my spellbook Lost Words,
coax my little girl with words
disappearing from dictionaries
and minds of children–

Acorn, adder, bluebell, bramble, heron, otter. 

Eyes widen
as I weave air into acorns
whispering she was once like this
a seed
a universe waiting to be born.

If I say your name long enough,
can I make you return to me?

After, we tuck books onto shelves,
say goodbye to every stuffed animal
little hands touch each one
in blessing–
everything is a friend.

Outside the wind carries your face
startled by your watchful eyes
in mackerel skies and barren trees.

I know the end of love is infinite
safe skies and winds hold this heart
blooming even now in the desert.

Image / John Holm, Unsplash