lei is me

You’ll find me in the holler,

maybe even past that.

In a field in my boots and dress,

hair bunched under my hat.

Goats and chickens at my feet,

geese and horses too.

Reeds brush ‘gainst my calves,

still wet with morning dew.

You’ll find me in the holler,

that’s where I’ll make my home.

Where there are endless fields and hills,

for my kids to roam.

My hands will scar and callous,

the work will make them rough.

But everything I touch,

will be filled with love.

You’ll find me in the holler,

underneath my willow.

Listening to my windchimes,

head on the grassy pillow.

A sanctuary I will build,

like I’ve always dreamed.

In forests that know me by name,

and valleys that live and breathe.

—

this one is about my daydreams to live in the middle of nowhere with only my husband, children, and livestock. somewhere beautiful where we will build a beautiful life!

Leisan Yusupov, 2025