Petrichor

By Morgan Sicklick

Dust and dirt, crippled beneath 
my fingernails
suffocating
succumbing
to the weight of the world
above and below 
waiting 
for the sweet smell of sovereignty.

 Wind and water 
caressing the coarse cavities that conceal 
my hand
gently inviting 
curiosity 
to nestle itself in the refuge of
a whirlpool
above and below 
the stillness of a reflection.

I can’t ignore 
the blood of the earth
coursing
through the cracks in my feet
contending
for unearthed treasures 
that lie below and 
within
the dust and dirt
the water and wind.

It always catches me by surprise
stops me 
in my tracks 
but doesn’t console the calluses that adorn
my fingernails
or the hollowness of my hand
just yet...

I am tired of waiting 
I am tired of wading 
I am
tired.

Let the fog of petrichor 
permeate me
sustain me 
with the strength to salute the streaks of sun that 
await me
along the path that lies ahead
after the rain has cleared.

Photo by Morgan Sicklick. 2019.