Opening

You say you’re broken 
like it’s a bad thing, but 
seeds break 
to rise through the earth,
the rain, rocks break
to let the roots of the great oak
pass through unafraid.

Robin eggs break 
into baby blue spring, a chrysalis 
opens, peach buds unfold,
like a woman, giving us 
wings and summers and children.

There are other words 
for breaking.

Open like a day breaks, 
like clouds break 
to free the sun, pouring hope 
into cupped and weary hands, 
life rising from the breaking,
the opening, 
the birthing ground.

-s. rochelle