I was born upon a receding tide
Birthed in a valley ravaged by time
Eaten alive by barren desert
With salted waves to wash the wounds
I died in the shadows of mountain roots
To be reborn upon plains so great
I see the path of long-retreated tides
Leading back to the ones of my birth
Through hellfire and spring burns
From stardust to ashes
This body knows one life, but
My soul speaks of a longer journey
Lani Hankins is a former Army female engagement team member and a veteran of Afghanistan. Follow her here. Listen to the Savage Wonder episode with her here.
She blogs and podcasts at Kruse Corner.
Bunny: Poems About Surviving Military Life by Lani Hankins
Bottled Away: Confessions of a Struggling Veteran by Lani Hankins
The Gaslit Heart: A Story of Service and Survival by Lani Hankins
Eased Pain: Poems About Surviving Domestic Violence by Lani Hankins
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