The Confluence of River and Self - Luke Allis
poem read by Nicholas Yandell
The Confluence of River and Self
Luke Allis
At the edge of the Willamette,
I draw breath from
tree roots and cold sand.
Dawn color gathers at the edges
swirling, prismatic silt.
I close my eyes,
and the opal light
threads my soul
from Root to Crown
Root Red
I am anchored in
the rhythm of
breath and being.
I am safe. I am here. I belong.
Sacral Orange
I am the pulse of the current
of want and becoming.
I create. I feel. I flow.
Solar Plexus Yellow
I am the spark,
the fire that devours doubt.
I choose. I act. I shine.
Heart Green
I am the dark moss that gathers,
the branches reaching toward light.
I love. I open. I forgive.
Throat Blue
I am the bird song in the morning,
the silence that follows truth.
I speak. I listen. I honor.
Third Eye Purple
I am the shadow
beyond the seen.
I know. I sense. I trust.
Crown White
I am the breath between thoughts,
the light behind closed eyes, I am. I expand. I remember.
The river groans at
a boat’s wake.
The rainbow silt fades
into smooth, muted pebbles.
The world returns.
And, I Rise.
Luke Allis is a Portland-based poet whose work explores loss, nature, and belonging.
His writing appears at Chestnut Cowboy.
https://chestnutcowboy.com
