We Fall In Love With Hope (The whole while, we are grieving)

 

The world moves without us, so I tend

to my potted tulips, plant kale seeds, feel excited

when the sprouts pop up.

My heart aches, so I walk on the beach, smile at 

the ecstatic, grinning dogs, whose world is only joy

in this moment, because they are fortunate enough

to not understand the news. They understand

my sadness, though, so they move close to me,

sitting on my log; they rest their heavy heads

on my knee, breathe comfort at me,

say with their silent gaze I am here.

The world moves without us, but we are moving, too,

through yet another war, more human madness,

more destruction. We don't know where we are headed,

and yet we do, for we have seen all this before.

There is a tenderness to growing older.

We fall in love with morning skies, and babies,

dogs and young lovers. We fall in love with hope.

The whole while, we are grieving. We are wise, now,

and we know. We know what tomorrow will bring.

We fall in love with hope.

But the whole while, we are grieving.

Inspired by Tomorrow Is a Place by Sanna Wani. Italicized lines are hers.