Against all odds

Photo by Anthony Oliver

In the crack of a rock, my twisted roots find purchase

No soil to be found, only the crevice of a boulder

Against all odds, my twisted trunk reaches skyward

Winter winds, ice and snow, blistering sun

The unrelenting desert forces, 

Against all odds, I am still standing

Pine needles collecting sun for nourishment

Every drop of moisture collected

Against all odds, my bristled branches reach out

Slow, imperceptible movement over time

Hundreds of years have passed

Against all odds, I am still here

I provide shelter for birds, shade for lizards

Break down rocks into soil

Against all odds, my presence is known

Time, time is on my side

Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide

Against all odds, I survive