i saw a small clear waterfall
pouring down over dark rocks
with little tufts of dark
green moss here and there

in the foregroud
set a little to the right
were the exposed roots of a conifer
shooting down
and out of the broken, loamy ground
to a spot about five feet
below the tree

and in between here and there
the roots trace this beautifully
random pattern
into the empty space

and the place felt so
serene
that i stopped and drank it in
for a moment

and i walked on

now i scrape the deep redish brown
curls of skin
off of manzanita trees
the little twists of
bark come off easily
just a little touch from one
of my fingers and it flies off
and down
floating to the ground

i slide my finger down a
smooth bough
and a hundred little red flakes
fly all around
and down

and i smile
a little bit

and i have never
felt
more alone