Under Duress

A Poem

The science of the sharpened pole the subject of their love the history of waiting too long the noise of quiet thunder pounding against the outer walls The harrowing of the wilds that keep extending into the urban mess the breathless men and women dogs and the loud clapping of beggars Shortened summers, fewer berries the winter drops fast, but not so cold The cherry trees continue in their ordained twists looking over the windows of malfunctioning reopenings Under the eaves, fingers crushed pants flooded by liquid snow ice forming by the eyes but inside the head and trying to get beyond the ache but only opening another book and putting it all off to the side

J.D. Harms 2020