Because a forest
After Joe Cottonwood
Because there’s a pandemic on
and you should treat yourself to good air
Because the height makes you look up
and looking up feels good in your spine
Because the air is fresh and you breath more consciously,
downing each lungful slow and deep
Because in Japan, therapists prescribe it for anxiety
and sometimes we all walk to a place further than ourselves
Because in forests you find the instinct
of your ancestors and feel sheltered
Because of the way the light flashes through the trees,
taking up space for wonder, healing something ancient and feral in you
Hannah Gordon is a London Irish, queer poet, teacher and facilitator from Brent and a member of Malika’s Poetry Kitchen. She was a host of Spoken Word London and co-led their 2019 Anti-Hate festival. She is the founder and chief facilitator of Word Up’s Words Down writing group and was selected for the inaugural Mid-Career Poets program at the Roundhouse. Her poetry has been published in various anthologies and she has performed at events all over London, in Paris and New York.