Pulse of Earth

I pause 
slowly taking a deep breath
my eyes scan the forest floor
and rest on a fern leaf that has 
a hole in it
like my heart
i stare at it for several seconds 
allowing the emotions to flow 
rising steadily 
like raging murky waters
eyes burn
flooding

the damp ground beyond the hole 
covered in brown dead leaves
feeling the pulse of earth
or is that my own heartbeat 
your heartbeat….. 

that once lived 
but now exists 
deep within