I walk down streets marked No Outlet
wondering if I could find a way, to flit
or flee, like Alice underground
but I’m afraid of falling, rolling
into a hungry black hole,
consumer of light—and all–
though light beams through night
and clouds and cracks, the sight
we see glimmers from the past–
no less wondrous if unseen–
the black hole, or a tree, I mean
here, the flowers bloom,
and birds sing
in their secret language of spring,
of greening feathered flight,
and the sun flirts with treetops,
but no one kisses on Main Street, that’s stopped,
and there’s no rock and rolling,
as masked like bandit queens and kings
in solitary kingdoms, with empty swings–
the children inside–
we walk steadfast apart
with trembling hearts
still able to feel
steel yourself, no stumbling into a hole,
so, we comfort and console
as the birds sing and flowers bloom
and we sit in our rooms
connected with Zoom—
finding there’s an outlet after all,
a gleam through the gloom.
I’ve combined two prompts. The NaPoWriMo Day 7 prompt asked us to write a poem based on a news story. I wrote about “the hungry black hole.” At dVerse, Björn asked us “to take inspiration from the words like plague, pestilence, and pandemic, and write a poem to console us in this time of the Corona.”
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
❤ What a lovely hopeful line:
and birds sing
in their secret language of spring,
of greening feathered flight
Black hole or not, there's always spring. Sometime.
Thank you! Trying not to be too gloomy–and I did have a nice walk today. 😀
‘ a gleam through the gloom’ that’s as hopeful as it gets these days. That’s a lovely photo.
Yes, I think so. I could have made it really dark. 😏. Thank you about the photo. I took a bunch today. I keep thinking we might not be allowed out soon, so I’ll make the most of it. (And we’re supposed to have thunderstorms in the morning tomorrow.)
Even when the confinement is strict, I think you have to be let out to do food shopping. They’re going to tighten up the rules here to limit the number of times people can claim they’re ‘just going to do their shopping’ to once a day.
I saw Paris was limiting the time people can go out to exercise to early morning and later at night, I think. I’ve been walking in the street, and not near anyone. I guess that’s more difficult in a city.
I loved how you started this, Merril. Of course, everything after was wonderful too. Great job! The photograph was perfect.
Thank you very much, Jill!
I like the Alice in Wonderland image especially, traveling at great speed through the unknown. Great post!
Zoom is my friend too, connecting with my writers’ group and Pilates friends these days.
Thank you very much, Marian. I wasn’t sure if I was trying to put too many things in this poem. I’m glad you’re connecting with your groups. 😀
It’s funny how being too “plugged in” before has become our glimmering light. Good poem.
Thank you very much!
You’re welcome, Merril.
You always manage to be hopeful. With gentle thoughts and words. (K)
Thank you. I’m sometimes start out writing dark stuff, but somehow I write myself out of it. 😏
I seem to do the reverse these days…
🙁
A poem within a poem … this says so much:
we sit in our rooms
connected with Zoom—
finding there’s an outlet after all,
a gleam through the gloom
Thank you for spreading the gleam!
Thank you very much! I’m glad that stood out for you.
Merril, I’m so glad you had a lovely walk! My walks here are limited to within my apartment complex downstairs when I go feed the community cats – not very far, but the kitties are very calming.
Oh, at least you have the cats!
I am absolutely thankful I do have the community cats. They’re always purring and affectionate, and they are something else to worry about other than what’s going on.
But watch out for any chairs you might find out there. 😏
Oh I do! Tomcats and tomcatting chairs after all!
😀
I agree, the internet has become the breath of life, while most things bear the kiss of death.
Thank you, Glenn. We’ve had a couple virtual dinners with our daughters, and we wondered why we never did it before!
what a wonderful poem to describe our lives in the midst of this crisis
Thank you so much, Beth!
Zoom does provide a gleam through the gloom. I will be on one later this week. It reminds me that there are people out there I used to know.
Thank you, Frank. That’s very true.
Long live Zoom! The resilience of mankind is mind-boggling!
Yes, it is! Thank you!
We are all afraid really to fall into that deep tunnel of darkness and gloom. Still there is light and spring to look forward to and appreciate the birds and blooms at a distance.
Yes, exactly. Thank you, Grace.
And this does console. Well done, Merril.
Thank you very much, Ken. I’m pleased it does.
A digital light in the black hole of Corona! The birds still sing… perhaps we should sing along!
Thank you, Dwight. The birds are really singing here this morning–and yes, perhaps I’ll sing along!
Our birds are singing so loud that when we were talking on the phone they said,”I hear the birds singing!” It was coming through the open screen door! Thank you! Be Safe!
❤️
Nicely done! I agree, Spring and Zoom are gleams in the gloom!
Thank you very much!
You did remarkably on this prompt Merrill ❤️
Thank you very much, Jude!
My pleasure 😊
Nicely balance, Merril
Thank you, Derrick.
“a gleam in the gloom” such a wonderful use of language taking two etymologically connected opposites. Very apt.
I almost didn’t approve your comment because I wasn’t sure about the site. But then it looks like you’re on Mister Linky with a poetry site? In any case, thank you.
I love the realization of “our trembling hearts still able to feel” becomes the gleam in the gloom. Lovely.
Thank you very much!
As in your poem, I take comfort in spring unfolding, too. Lovely.
Thank you very much!
I feel spring around me… and it works for me too. The hum of disasters around seems to be drenched by birdsong, and we keep close by being on video
Yes, thank you Björn. We had a last minute family video chat last night–not really a Seder–and technical glitches, but still nice. 😀
I just love this! Yes, Spring is blooming, birds are still doing their thing, rivers are waking up and the sun is shining down on all of it, and we are caught in its path too. Beautiful and full of hope!
Thank you so much.
I appreciate your enthusiastic response! 😀
THANK you for your positive ending here. I admit, as I’ve admitted to others this morning….I put off reading these. There’s enough negatives in numbers and in the news — which I now try to avoid. We must concentrate on hope….and I truly believe that when we unmask and see so many smiles, a new sense of humanity will be born. Thank you for your positive references here.
You’re welcome, Lillian. I’m feeling a bit exhausted by it all, so I’m way behind on reading everything!
Mind blowing poem 🌊🌊
Perfect picture
The fact that there is hope is calming in itself and you have done a great job expressing it in words💜
Thank you so much!