"Light For Our Democracy"

In our little poetry workshop at the library, I learned about a community gathering in front of our County Courthouse – in just a few hours. The random words we drew from a can got me in the mood; the words were: fleeing, biweekly, times, quality, position, recently.

Why I'm Here at Dusk

The news at dawn was another

shock to every system. Even the seasons.

Recently birds we never saw before

are at the feeder, replacing ones we knew.

And all the world of man and nature

in its predictable position

in relation to the sun? – it feels like

everything’s fleeing, challenges hitting

not biweekly like a workshop poem,

but every day as if

without warning. How to judge

the quality of life in shifty times when

the next moment upsets yesterday’s

already off-balance? I’m here

among so many others in the gathering

dark standing with homemade signs,

searching for light. It feels good.

~ Taylor Graham