When You Feel Yourself Without Roots Poem by Mohammad Yousef

By Mohammad A. Yousef

There's a weightlessness,
like drifting on a breeze,
a quiet pull in your gut,
the earth beneath you distant,
like a dream you can't hold on to.

You look around,
and the faces are scattered—
friends like autumn leaves,
blown away too soon,
and you wonder,
where does belonging go
when it slips through your fingers?

Your heart tugs,
searching for grips—
a tree, a stable branch,
a place that feels like home,
but the ground keeps shifting.

Maybe it's the seasons,
so bright and bold,
then cold and empty,
and you wear your winter coat
like a shield against the chill
but the frost still seeps in.

You recall laughter shared,
the songs sung under starlight,
the warmth of hands in hands,
those moments rooted deep—
what do you do when they fade?

When hope feels like a feather,
floating on a wavering wind,
not heavy enough to ground you,
to plant you where you yearn to stay.

You remember that roots can grow
in unexpected places,
like wildflowers breaking concrete,
finding cracks to push through.

So you look to the sky,
and let the sun fill your soul,
give yourself permission
to explore the unknown,
to grab at the stars above.

Because even the tallest trees,
once restless seeds,
danced and drifted,
before they found their way,
deep into the dark, rich earth
and stretched their arms wide,
embracing the wind,
like long-lost friends.

So breathe in deeply,
feel the ground shift beneath you—
take each step, small or bold.
The world is vast and bright,
and you are meant to grow;
even without roots,
you can still reach for the sky.