Morning sun surprises 
a blank wall
with pearly shadows
of feijoa
What will life bring today?

Just outside the gate
illness war and anthropogenic madness
are fear-infected talons
stealing our minds and hearts
We are afraid
It’s all we talk about

On this ground in this climate 
wired digital and artificially intelligent
latter-day merchants 
and noisy, leaping mountebanks
grow their riches 
on the compost of our fears
elevating ignorance to cult-level
alternate facts
groom masses of fools
to unseat Truth from her throne

As she wanders about
dazed and destitute 
dressed in a pile of rags
they can taunt and laugh at her
do every vile male thing to her
Who will attend
to a small and homeless waif
and her soft and childlike voice?
She’s unrecognisable

We shake our helpless heads
like cooling flesh
our heart muscle
gathers and shrinks

In my room, silence
stillness and rays of light
Illuminate my eyes, 
retina sending impulses
for remembering
beauty insists on persisting

I inhale and exhale
I grow calm and quiet
The good part knows 
It all belongs together

Not this or that
Not either or
But and. 
And also.

And also, and also
like a newly beating heart
Today I’ll sow something
make, tend to, 
repair something
join with, listen to, 
laugh and care for someone 
Cast glimmers of love 
and beauty 
pearly shadows 
on the blank wall of misery.