Incantation of the First Order
Listen, no one signed up for this lullaby.
No bleeped sheep or rosebuds or twitching stars
will diminish the fear or save you from wakinginto the same day you dreamed of leaving—
mockingbird on back order, morning bells
stuck on snooze—so you might as wellget up and at it, pestilence be damned.
Peril and risk having become relative,
I’ll try to couch this in positive terms:Never! is the word of last resorts,
Always! the fanatic’s rallying cry.
To those inclined toward kindness, I sayCome out of your houses drumming. All others,
beware: I have discarded my smile but not my teeth.~ Rita Dove
Stony Soil Vermont 
Exquisite!
Love this poem!
So timely! I’m wondering whether we had the same sunset. Monday night? It was astonishing.
The sky has been amazing here, too.
Tells it like it is.
Gwen.
Agreed. A powerful poem.
What a great poem for the times.
Completely agree.
I was wondering if you could explain these last two lines. Amazing metaphors used here.
I love these last two lines…. I’d describe this as holding onto your grit.
Understood.