At sunrise in another season of drought
under a lavish canopy of redwoods,
the fog water drips down into thirsty roots
crawling beneath a carpet of forest floor.
The coastal amazons of the woodland, their
leafy crowns stretch toward sky reaching for stars,
bark shields barely scorched by wildfire fingers
that could not dig into the breasts of heartwood.
Legacy of their long-lived mystery,
circled by fresh fairy rings of new growth,
warriors battle against being toppled
by the wrath of wind.
—
Andrena Zawinski’s poetry has received accolades for free verse, lyricism, form, nature, and social concern. She has published four full-length poetry collections along with some smaller editions, edited two anthologies, and authored a book of flash fictions. Born and raised landlocked in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she now makes her home at water’s edge beneath a Pacific flyway on the city island of Alameda, California. Her most recent book of poetry is Born Under the Influence.
