Community Poetry Journal

I had this one saved in my emails since January, and just thought it'd be nice to share. I remember really being able to imagine a mountain and the feeling of breeze rushing against my face when I first read this. I also find its message about the weight of choices really profound.

Choices
BY TESS GALLAGHER

I go to the mountain side
of the house to cut saplings,
and clear a view to snow
on the mountain. But when I look up,
saw in hand, I see a nest clutched in
the uppermost branches.
I don’t cut that one.
I don’t cut the others either.
Suddenly, in every tree,
an unseen nest
where a mountain
would be.

The poet dedicated this poem to someone called Drago Štambuk. The source of the poem is here.