Winter of 2022

It’s winter of 2022,

Of cold settling upon trees,

Imposed confinement,

Masked breathing,

Hands trembling at every breeze.

It’s two years to this new world,

Of sirens, of attempts at breathing, of hearts trembling —

Perplexed and mulling over their own eventual end.

Observing each day the fragility of dotage,

The fragility of youth,

And yet the foolishness of pride —

Masking our loving vulnerabilities.

It’s winter of 2022,

Of hope settling upon the heart (it never left),

Slowly breaking self imposed confinement (cautiously),

Of breathing — unshackled (almost),

Heart finally beating to its own tune.

It’s 5 years to the awakening to this old world,

Learning to survive inequalities, cruelty, a soft heart —

Empathizing over afraid truths and barring absolute lies,

Overcoming denied possibilities of edification,

Overcoming denied possibilities of love and kindness,

And hopeful that one day the foolishness of pride

Will no longer mask our loving vulnerabilities.

It’s winter of 2022,

Cold has settled upon the trees,

But I am warm,

It’s been 28 years of living in my mind.