Ode to Life
written by: Julie Pratt
I long to live like the wild ones
to be rain drenching the garden
and the swallowtail who
can’t get enough of the color purple
to be as full as the moon
as devoted as redwoods
Let me bask in the beauty of words
whispered in private or
sung from the treetops
savoring their taste on my tongue
how they dance in my mind
make me jump to my feet
I want to love life until it hurts
not tethered to routine or
bound by tradition but free
to soar across borders and dive deep
into oceans until the wholeness of
everything breaks open my heart
May I sleep under starlight
on the bank of tomorrow
grateful to inhale the vastness of being
turning my yearning into
wonder and joy
Julie Pratt lives in Charleston, West Virginia, where she worked for many years as a writer and facilitator for nonprofit organizations. The author of several award-winning poems, her poetry has appeared in Passager, Persimmon Tree, ONE ART and other venues. She grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, where she earned a master’s degree in social work from UW-Madison. Later in life, she received an MFA in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine. Her writing is inspired by nature and by people who are working to change themselves and the world for the better.
Latest posts by Julie Pratt (see all)
- Legacy - September 1, 2024
- The Gift - May 5, 2024
- Ode to Life - January 11, 2024
