ON THE DAY OF ONE MORE GUN MASSACRE

I emerge
from my cave after a long wet winter
stumbling out of
my defective attempt at hibernation
to discover that others are still alive
Out here doing human things
painting the trim around windows                  mowing the lawn
Planting seeds
walking their dog and picking up after it
waving from their porch at a passer-by
someone else is sunbathing
while diving headlong into a book
Children yelling all across the playground
so happy to finally master the monkey bars
Miniscule actions lined up
proving they are fully alive
That they are accomplishing things
checking them off their lists
Even though they’re just routines
almost automatic
even though they are not earthshaking
they count. They make us feel
The joy we have of taking a breath
and bask in the ultraviolet rays
reaching here from all those millions of miles away
to this very spot on the only planet I know
this spot I favor
Awakening something inside
stirring juices there
after my long slumber
grumbling What’s all this noise and light?
Feeling the burn and the tingle
hypnotized by the mysteries of the light spectrum
doing all it can to make us forget
if only for a minute

that out there far and wide
Unforeseen
Undeserved
Death’s come a-calling again
and in an instant
can make it all go dark.

3.23.21