art apropos

It’s important to remember
that this morning’s darkness
gave way to blinding, eye-piercing
sunlight and so it will tomorrow. 
It’s important to remember this
especially now that darkness
is all around us, drawing closer
like a cloak, especially now
that the solid ground we stood on
for centuries, suddenly, shockingly,
appears flimsy, like a matchbox,
so that we are forced to reach out
blindly and grope for whatever’s
nearby and standing. It’s important
to remember that even though
nothing makes sense and everything,
everyone is suspect, there are still
things around us that we can
lean on, steady hands, strong
shoulders, of all smells, sounds, colors. 
Maybe hands will reach out and hold
on to us. Maybe we will embrace. 
Maybe our hearts will grow stronger
together, and maybe our touch will remind
us that our sameness overwhelms
our differences, and maybe we will
wipe our tears away and smile,
and maybe we will remember how.
Maybe we will remember. 
I hope we will remember. 
It’s important we remember.