Breath

Inhabiter of the invisible.
Each intake from
the reservoir
of who knows where;

essential
from birth-cry
to bye-bye;

verve of spirit, vibes,
voices that sway
and those unheard.

Breath goes where it wills,
releases doubt,
energises desire.

Breath,
exhaler of failures,
inhaler of freshness,
buyer of time.

Mary Lee’s poetry has appeared in Skylight 47, Crannóg, Orbis, and The Linnet’s Wings, amongst many others. Her work has also been broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1, A Living Word. Her debut poetry collection, Bloom, was published by Rejoice Publications in 2016.