painting by Marlene Vine, poem by Roy Herndon Smith
the mauve cloud of wild
silence storming through the grid
all we thought we knew
the shutdown quiet
other animals wander
streets we left empty
in the shelter of
our homes, behind the screens
masks off, we make love
blood flushing between
the racoon sits in stillness
on the branch beside
the walk in the park
the photographer watching
unmoving as rock
the robin hopping
unperturbed as we step by
all that was distant
the mauve sighing and
sobbing of the earth is us
a bell tolls three times
dust 