for Jacob on the event of his focusing

Really hope you see trees feeling air
like giant broccolis top and bottom
their birds on your side beautifully pert
worms and reptiles slide by soft and hard
if you let them by reasonably seeing.
Imagine it a big gold belly glimpsed
sleek and chequered nicking off to the
rocks and logs where these ones go
as fast as wiggling so scared so fast
keeping safe their inches even feet
safe from fingers by branch in litter leaf
looking just like sticks or shadows
tiger snakes use their trees as tricks on us.

Really hope you call to bird friends
where they sharpen beaks on branches
they’ll answer reedy-throated altogether
know you for their giant blatherer human
only knowing wind by lungs and skin
LIFT you by the ears as you’re passing to
wherever it is such beings go as you
imagine it mama and papa magpie
grey little one on his back playing dead
you a part of that if the time is right
their wood grubs and even road chips
magpies hurt but live with you very well.

Really hope you seek out quick things wet so
sun on water shiny cloud on sand alert and
slippery as a thought and vanished as a dream
these are sand cloud creatures that come to me or
rather do not come to me an ocean deep
disappointment as much as promise or a bit
more if we are not lucky and the wind does not say
down there they are circulating more tidal
at least more than us if not than our bloody blood
or the dogs and children that howl and dance
storm-soaked and wide-mouthed as a frog—
finny friends need more kindness because we eat them all.

Really hope their fungi are gouache to you on bark
on forest floor dotted out and out from deep
places bubbling onto curly or tubby or a bulb
lids bone pale or organ livid or wholemeal invisible
fans and stripes and dots like bloodspatter jewellery
Hollywood party glow for weird or subtle guests
we are sitting on a toadstool or dancing in a ring
we see the rise feel magic turning tree or litter or flour
into delicious fern or ciabatta or a perfect hatchling
no sunshine needed only fungus for our sweet dance
unfurling birth all over the place as invisible as water
we swim in drink in breathe in give ourselves over
because we do not know it’s there even if we know
because the things we know we feel with inside hands.

Really hope your really hopes are made of such embraces
that the inside is like the outside and at their meeting
wonder.