Photography © Edward S. Gault

 

Mid-Pandemic Pantoum: Forgiveness

More places I won’t go.
I’ve used up kindness.
Too many landmarks disappeared
and left no sign of passing.

I’ve used up kindness.
Even that big tree ceased to grow
and left no sign of passing.
Turn at the corner

where the big tree used to grow,
its leaves a yellow umbrella
where we turned a corner,
ordered iced coffee, cold-brew.

Leavings at the yellowed umbrella
of books stacked on my nightstand,
ordered, icy, coughing, brough-ha-ha.
What should I grant amnesty?

Stacks toppling off your nightstand,
Landmarks have disappeared.
Why should we grant amnesty?
More places I won’t go.

 

Karen Greenbaum-Maya is a retired clinical psychologist, former German major and reviewer of restaurants, and two-time Pushcart and Best of the Net nominee. She is in a dream from which she cannot wake up. She co-curates Fourth Sundays, a poetry series in Claremont, California.

Edward S. Gault is a poet and fine art photographer. He lives at Mosaic Commons, a co-housing community in Berlin, Ma. He has a wife Karen, and daughter.