When we went on our field-trip
to hike up Hill Park Peak,
we saw these giant, ancient trees
that grew around the creek.
The sky was big and blue and strong.
The mountains stood like forts.
I felt so much like I belonged
inside that quiet forest.
The rest of us got quiet too,
as if afraid to scare
this feeling of connection
and beauty everywhere.
Some things reach out to me just so—
they spark within my heart
a kind of recognition
that I’m, in fact, a part
of something that is wonderous,
and meant to be admired.
It fills me up with hope and love.
It makes me feel… inspired.
Often it comes from nature
and getting outdoors.
Other times it’s part of music,
or someone else’s words.
One day, I’d really like to help
others feel it too.
This kind of simply knowing,
that runs so deep and true.
—
Winner of the 2024 California Press Women Communications Award in Creative Verse and MIT-trained mother of two, Jane Yevgenia Muschenetz arrived in the US as a Jewish refugee from Soviet Ukraine. She has appeared on KPBS Midday Edition, Spoken Word Paris, and in numerous publications. Her most recent poetry collection, Power Point (Sheila-Na-Gig, 2024), combines dark humor, data, and visual poetics to interrogate societal inequalities. Connect with Jane and her work at www.PalmFrondZoo.com.
