You Are Not It, It Is You Moon

You Are Not It, It Is You Moon

Winter Solstice New Moon  December 23, 2022

It rained light & heavy, the power went out

it rolled & thundered, flashed & broke

we had candles & coffee, our roof held

the pipes didn’t burst, the food didn’t spoil

trees bent in all directions, grass got wet

flags tattered & turned, a deluge for days

the cats were afraid, we were somber

we stayed huddled indoors, we listened

we heard what we needed to hear or tried

it slowed at times, it came from the west

it sounded changed, angry, revengeful

it felt like a power beyond us, from above

it showed us the cave, it dimmed the sun

it cast shadows that stumbled, then silence

it spoke, it insisted, it was difficult to be present

we had it all, we had nothing, were alone

it made us aware of each other, we counted

we became diffuse, the wind was so strong

we found we had little time to hold, were nothing

we held as best we could, it moved us

it blew us into itself, it knew our tenderness

it was completely open & we tried

we thought we could, we were stuck

it loosened us, we were always both

weathered lives, alone together.

Poem by Qayyum Johnson

Painting by Suiko McCall. Progress is not a Matter of Far or Near, 2019. Ink on Yupo, 60×30″.