I am shifting through the mulch,
searching for chanterelles
on the breathless forest floor,
and thinking of Claudia
lying on a not so different bed.
Deep lie the mycelia here,
wet and taking life
from the dying,
a spiky fetid stillness broken
by a struggling wind,
the branches heavy today.
I know mushrooms hide
beneath this decay,
there is a fruitful tomorrow
from this rot and rancor,
but today I am just moving
the dead and dying.
Julian Szieff is a medical school student and a lover of nature. One of his greatest achievements was winning his 6th-grade poetry competition. He writes about medicine, compassion, and community. Find more of his work at julianszieff.wordpress.com
Twitter: @JulianSzieff