I started writing this a few weeks ago, but it sat, unfinished, in an open tab. I couldn’t figure out what came next, which isn’t surprising since I can’t figure out what’s coming next in general these days.
My husband and I work in tourism. We run an inn, and guests from abroad are a huge part of our business. With things the way they are, we’re just not sure what might happen.
The poem eventually got finished, so there’s one bit of uncertainty taken care of. The rest, however…
Uncertainty
We’re sitting on the deck, my husband and I.
It’s quiet, except for the noise from the street nearby
And the sounds of a toddler—ours—splashing in a basin of water.
The sky is blue, and there’s a slight breeze
Which comes and goes as it rustles the trees.
The sun is warm, a May sun—the best kind.
From the deck, we can see the bay.
Its blue isn’t as vivid as yesterday,
And little whitecaps disturb the water’s surface.
Today we have nothing planned,
Beyond watching the sky, sea and sand.
Our business, like so many others, sits idle.
We wonder what next month will bring,
And next year for that matter—whether anything
Will improve or get worse or just stay the same.
We’re sitting on the deck, my husband and I.
It’s quiet, except for the noise from the street nearby
And the worry whirring through our minds.
Kamakura Dreamin' 