Today we wake once again, the dawn
replacing lazy light of night with hope,
(unless by lack of luck, by faithless fate,
meted out beyond a reason anyone
perceives, we're swallowed by eternal night),
slowly rising like a bashful sun,
unhurried, easing towards a world wanting
peace, we stand to grab what joy we can
pry with ever-hopeful hands from dreams
once vivid, now all but shattered, murdered by
reality. Muzzling hope behind a mask,
tangled in the lies born of hate,
even through this COVID fog of fear, a
renaissance of wonder will appear and
save our fragile lives from unhinged fools
(a narcissist's dream!), who blindly even still
refuse to see that "great" means more than just an
emblazoned word on hapless hats. I cannot
find within this frozen heart the flame
of love which, doused by needless death, will finally
overcome and melt this icy ire.
Let our madding anger melt away and
soothe our wounded souls—
but not today!