What Rough Beast | Poem for March 5, 2017

Ned Balbo
The Dark

Each day, we wake to crisis,   Is
the likelihood of treason   reason
a charge impossible   possible,
to counter or ignore.   or
A small light, like a star   are
behind us, shadowy,   we
flares brightly for a moment,   meant
grows dim… What should we do?   to                                    
The dark provides no template—   let
We’re caught beyond our power,   our
some unknown destination   nation                 
awaiting us… In free fall,   fall?

burned by the atmosphere,   Fear
will we survive? With what   what
scant payload, what supplies?   lies
What quake or thunderhead   ahead,
will follow when we land?   and    

Hold on, and brace for impact.   act.

 

Ned Balbo is the author of Upcycling Paumanok (Measure Press, 2016), and The Trials of Edgar Poe and Other Poems (Story Line Press, 2010) winner of the Poets’ Prize and the Donald Justice Prize. Recent poems may be found at NewVerse News, Poets Reading the News, Rattle: Poets Respond and in Ecotone, First Things, New Criterion, Birmingham Poetry Review, and elsewhere.

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