Murmurations: A Spell for the Fall Equinox

the nights stretch themselves
over our harried hearts
there鈥檚 no differentiation now
each day we come apart
in new ways
at old seams
we age on the edge of crises
we thought were hyperbolic
til they knocked upon our door

one answer to the chaos
is hibernation
one answer to the fire
is snow

let us carve out caverns
for our rest now
howl down the dust and let
no harm come as we sleep
lay naked
and huddled
the truth is forever muddled
the fools took the future hostage
but we are seed and spore

one answer to death
is a haunting
one gift of each harvest
is more

let your leaves fall down
and sing to your ghosts
nourish life with everything
you release

ours is not the only life on earth
nor the only death
let your altars hold the earth
and the sky, and sea

it is time to gather and grieve
time to listen and pray
time to find the cave that
curves against our spines

shorten every work day
to catch the brief sun
be bare under softest blanket
dream of pumpkin, root and pine

the half earth grows dark
inviting you to rest
the hungry earth needs the dreams
that only come with depth.

adrienne maree brown is a writer, editor, activist, social justice facilitator, coach, speaker, and doula. Her books include Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds, Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, which she wrote and edited, and Octavia鈥檚 Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Movements, which she co-edited. They are a YES! contributor, and the creator of YES!鈥檚 exclusive collective column 鈥淢urmurations.鈥�

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