Endless Breath - by Aiste Mizgeryte

Introduction by the poet, Aiste Mizgeryte:

"Endless Breath" is a poetic piece that traces a soul's voyage from birth to death, illuminated by pivotal moments punctuated by the simple act of inhaling and exhaling. With a deeply personal touch, this autobiographical verse strives to capture the essence of the human experience, painting a vivid picture of birth's wonder, the highs and lows of existence, and the inevitable journey towards the unknown beyond. Through the lens of breath, one person's narrative comes alive, transcending the confines of individuality to showcase the interconnectedness of all life.

A single breath,
Giving life to a helpless soul.
A single breath,
Louder than life itself, yet still unknown.
A single breath,
Writing a story, yet not a day old.
A single breath,
More worthy than any dime or gold.
A single breath leaving traces unseen on a map,
Designing words of love impossible to recap.
Continuous breath with a history to innovate,
A story to tell with an unknown expiration date.
Endless breath in numbered days...
Creating an untouchable echo of praise...
So where will a women’s breath leave traces?
With faith, upon people’s hearts in unreachable places.

A long deep breath inhaled to take on the hurdle of a first step,
Reaching for the couch miles across the room
Before falling backwards into unimaginable doom.
Screeching, crying for my mum to hold me close
And patiently waiting for a gentle kiss on the nose.
Running, chasing, stumbling with the breath of the wind,
Reaching for the finish line with furious strength as I grinned
Painted tears landing slowly on my shirt;
From bruises, scrapes and cuts that no longer seem to hurt.

Inhaling the ancient words of my grandmother,
Whilst exhaling the pain I shared with my older brother.
Leaving traces of breath in a country holding memories of our childhood
To later realise the struggling breaths of sacrifices manifested in parenthood.
Passionate breaths formed in Lithuania still fearlessly flowing through my bloodstream,
Igniting a blazing fire with recollections of a daydream.
One breath out of three million
Scattered around the world amongst seven billion.

Stolen breath engulfed by traumatising fear,
Years to overcome, only to reappear.
A battle once won with struggling breath
Begs to be won again…
She sat considering whether her story could end with unfinished breath
After all she wasn't really that scared of death.
A rose chocked up by thorns
Like a red flag waved in front of a bull with horns.
A breath filled with so much desperation
To reach unattainable expectation…
Lungs ripping apart gasping in starvation
Desperately searching for salvation.
Perhaps it was the breath of freedom itself that choked her
Or perhaps it was the desperate gasp of liqueur.
A trembling voice, too anxious to breathe too loud
Not realising that a love covered her, larger than any crowd
A love with hands stretched out to give a breath of life igniting a dancing fire
With a new heart to see the old creation I can admire.

Joining in with the last breath before a saviour’s sacrifice
Stretched out with hands nailed to a calvary cross
To pay an unimaginable asking price.
A soul to gain in exchange for a world at loss.
A battle to stumble through, for a joy to run across.
For the first time breathing clear,
For the first time exhaling deeply, without any fear...

Invisible breath forming discernibly visible dreams,
Pouring out like rivers in a deserted land of endless streams.
Seeking discomfort to fuel the wishes of my heart
Glorious technicolour flowing through my blood like art.
Fearing most of dreams deferred…
Missed opportunities to soar in the sky, wishes of a wingless bird.
A breath before I raise my glass
To toasts to the lessons that knocked me down and didn't pass.
Proudly sweating blood and tears to become a world changer
Only if impacting the breath of one stranger.
Out of breath climbing a career ladder created for another
Only to realise the steps I take were designed by those who looked like my mother
Fighting to hope, Hoping to fight that those steps under me won’t break but suffice
To suffice not only for my own life, but to sacrifice for the generations of women that I will
see stand
Standing in purpose, standing in beauty, standing in power or in a helping hand
Without ever feeling out of breath, because she will now be climbing a ladder created for her
To become a writer, a leader, a reader or entrepreneur
To not settle for a life given, but to chase dreams she will prefer

A breath stolen by a first glance
To meet you unexpectedly by chance.
Shaking breaths as I pace at the door before our first date
Not knowing that you’ll be the fuel of a story I continue to create…
When falling in love with you no longer felt like falling
Thinking of your breath-taking soul, most enthralling.
Chambers of secrets revealed only to you
Counting down the days to when I exhale “I do” …
When falling in love with you felt like home
Being held in your arms comparable to a paradise in Rome.
A breath of butterflies taking flight,
Even though I’m kissing you for the 45th time.
Whispering “I love you” in one sweet single breath
With vows of forever, promising to cherish you even after death.
Joining in with the slow dance of infinite stars
Traces of my breath imprinted onto your memoirs.

A single breath joined with another,
With a small voice exhaling her first word “mother” …
The breath I breathe now held in your hands
To carry on the love I held to unimaginable lands.
I would promise to give up all my breath to be able to see the corners of your lips curling up
Scared to let go to see you all grown up.

And as I let go of my final breath
To enter a paradise of peace in death…
I thank my lucky stars
For a love that will never die and I can say it’s ours.
Endless breath in numbered days
Creating an untouchable echo of praise...
So where will a women’s breath leave traces?
With faith, upon people’s hearts in unreachable places.

by Aiste Mizgeryte