A Second Thought
By
Jennifer Angelina Petro
You have been with me
Since the beginning
Even though
I no longer remember
The first time
You filled me,
Sending me wailing
From the initial revelation.
From that moment
Until now–
I have rarely given you
A second thought.
You enter, touching my nose,
And lips, and then
Filter through me,
Spreading life, only to then
Disappear into my cells.
You make my chest rise and fall,
Ebb and flow, enlivening me
Over and over,
Again, and again,
Moment after moment,
Year after year,
And you do so largely
In relative silence and secret.
I think of you when I feel
The need to catch you,
Or hold you, or focus
On you for a guided meditation,
Or watch you ghost out
Of my mouth in winter.
You shimmer through me,
I know you are there,
I want you to stay,
Even though one day
You will sail out of my body
For good, onto the billowing winds,
To gently, unobtrusively,
Fill the body of another—
Another who will,
In all likelihood, hardly ever
Give you a second thought.
So here, now,
I think of you in as full
Consciousness as I can muster,
I feel you filling my every
Cell and vein with kindness.
Thank you for being
My friend, my guide,
My most intimate companion
On my journey
Of letting you go.
All donations go to medical bills and groceries. <3
