Roots

by Joel Adcock

ROOTS

I succumb.

Surrender to the season—

to autumn’s breeze and what it brings in,

just as when I was a seedling.

Baptized by what’s beyond me,

I’ve learned to trust my hidden meaning.

I unravel while time talks.

My emerald hues will soon be gone.

Viridian vacations with fading moss

in lieu of this imposter they call loss.

This tree bleeds to pay the cost—

leaves will blush to a scarlet clot.

To the witness watching my drain,

there’s beauty in my pain—

a spectacle in these stains.

But my kindred who remain

behind my bark and in my brain

understand my depths don’t entertain.

For deep in honest earth,

I have roots I’ve had since birth,

where my leaves don’t determine worth.

Unseen—enmeshed in my Source.

Sacred Soil that does Love’s work.

Branches bare but roots restore.

JOEL ADCOCK

Joel Adcock is an avid poet and digital creator who writes in a devotional tone that connects to people’s curiosities about God, life, and themselves.  He recently started Written Within Co. as a digital catalog and a community for those who value meaningful language in their walk with God.  Born and raised in small-town Kentucky, he enjoys running, writing music, a homely cup of coffee, and watching nerdy documentaries. You can find him on Instagram @writtenwithinco.