sutra 1 revised

The life of a breath

The subtle air flows
out of your lungs
and then back in

back and forth
in an equilibrium
echoing birth and death

In the small moment
before taking a breath in
there is a flash of joy, a relief

Breathing in you are born again
the world is made new and then
steadily ascends to its climax

Breathing in is like you wake up again

In the suspended moment
before breathing out there is
an equal and opposite joy of relief

Breathing out the world is released
let go of, there is a little sleep,
a small o, death in miniature,
a rest stop.