The first of February 2021

This is for the children, so that when they ask, they find an answer

At first, we wondered where the winter was; no cold winds blew,
Softly outside, spring bulbs began to sprout
We were living in the north lands, in happy civilised Europe
Centuries with scarcely a drought or plague

And war a distant story

Then came the sickness bringing global death
then came the storms, ice tearing through the wind
came the huge waves, waters seething and crashing
or the sun scorching the earth till no life left

then came the fear and the bravado

And the US fighting its presidential election
Never been one like this
Rage and hatred, racial killings
Guns fired at peaceful marchers

Tweets spreading lie upon lie upon lie

Some moments of brightness
“Skinny black girl” reading her poem
The hill we climb
yes, good title —
mountains of despair before us, but
Dear world, we felt encouraged, won’t give up

Dear children, I’m not sure where I should start.
Spring did come: that is, in my back garden
the Christmas Roses blossomed, shone like stars
White milky faces shining, delicate

survived burial under the wind-blown snow
When it melted
Reappeared, unchanged

The days moved on
it was again Ash Wednesday
I need new language now
Archaic words, though powerfully resonant, won’t do...
But still need strength and music, not
monosyllabic tweets
empty as thin air