What First Light Teaches

​

At five in the morning

Everything is dark,

The way I like it

When I get so much done,

Before most start their day,

Before the world wakes up

 

A little time later,

The sky fluoresces, shades of red

Taking down the blue,

A perfect dichotomy,

Two worlds opposed,

Morning and night

Caught in a battle,

Fuchsia for the win

 

It hits me as I look up,

This is our world,

Two opposing forces,

Always relentless 

In a constant tug-of-war,

Genes vying for dominance,

Life in daybreak

 

On one side,

Despair invades,

Just look at the news,

A virus of catastrophe,

Ravaged Ukraine,

Gun violence in schools,

Racism afoot,

Books banned,

Roe overturned,

A congressional circus,

Microplastics in our bodies,

Lies told daily,

New strains mutating

 

On the other,

An uprising,

Cheers for equality

Unfurled in rainbows and pink-knitted hats,

Silence on bended knee,

All colors welcome,

Land, air, and water are not without end,

Fame matters less

Than a pinch of salt or accountability,

Fair-minded practice dances

With responsibly made,

Freedom in song

 

Always the contradictions

That make up these days,

Up and down,

Stop with go,

Life plus death,

Hope in ashes,

Sun versus stars

 

Tales of daybreak

 

I look up and wonder,

Does fuchsia always win?

​