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Your Breath Mingles with Theirs

Kiss the green bean seeds
before tucking them in soil.
Sing to the puffballs of chives.
Pray to the tomatoes to bear bounty.
Hum with cucumbers,
hold them with both hands.

Go to a summit along Atlantic flyway
search for the migrating birds.
Praise the red-tailed hawk,
his effortless soaring.
Whistle along with
the long-winged northern harrier.
Bless the peregrine falcon
before he vanishes south.

Listen,
there will be whispers,
even in silence.
Talk
with a tender voice,
there will be listeners.

Xiaoly Li is a poet, photographer, and computer engineer who lives in Massachusetts. Her poetry is forthcoming or has recently appeared in Rhino, Cold Mountain Review, The Mantle, The Olive Press, J Journal, etc. She was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize and Best New Poets.

Issue 17 >