November, Aftermath

At the women's gathering,
the lecturer from Ukraine tells us
how her daughter's Mexican tutor
tenses up when she asks her how she
has been doing this past week.

*

Overnight, wind gusts
have shaken down 
almost all remaining  
leaves on the trees.

*

And it's been weeks, but
I'm still unsure what animal—
badger, coon, or cat—has been 
leaving its scat at the edge
of the deck.

*

Will we have to learn
secret gestures, secret
words, as part of keeping
each other safe?

*

Part of me feels 
it's futile to start unboxing
the Christmas lights;
but the dark is even more
dark now, everywhere.

*

Somewhere in the world,
rigiht now, there are people
who call each other by name,
knowing they exist.