It’s peaceful out here on the ledge, equidistant to outcomes.
The sound of wind has replaced my racing thoughts.
I can breathe.
I can be.
Life has been reduced to bite-sized chunks.
Wake, eat, survive, repeat.
The world on reset, a cosmic pause.
Bested by horrors of our own creation.
Reaping, sowing but never knowing.
The makings of a song beat out in the form of a dirge.
Me, I’m here on the ledge.
Enjoying the quiet of empty streets.
No past, no future.
No need to keep pace.
Not a bad place to be.
Maybe I’ll stay a while and when the chaos finally returns,
I’ll remember.
About the Poem
Inspired by the unusual silence of city streets around the world as lockdowns continue.
About the Author
Valerie Cruz is an author of poetry, articles, short stories, and Haiku who has performed live readings throughout the northeastern US.