I leave my window open
just a crack
just enough to hear
the birds singing in the day.
Their chorus begins in the dark.
Like me,
the sun loves their song
and rises to listen.
Too soon, their melodies
will be silenced
by discordant tones
as the rest of the world gets up
beginning not in song,
but getting their daily briefing
on what to be mad about
who to fear and
who’s to blame.
The birds’ midday silence
makes me sad.
It seems they know my sadness;
they feel it too.
At dusk, as another day closes
the gay melodies
that woke the sun
are quiet.
I hear only
a lone dove mourning
yet another day
when fear and hate prevailed.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow we will do it again,
for we choose not to live
as those who have no hope.
Jason Kanz 