Poem: Dear Redwood

Dear Redwood,

You were a sanctuary.

A place of solitude

To escape this loud world.

But now the world is silent.

Coffee shops and parks

Aren’t filled with laughter

But signs for distancing.

Stadiums are empty of fans

Screaming obnoxiously.

Cities are void of crowds.

And smiles hide under

this new tacky wardrobe.

I do miss the old world.

I miss eating funnel cakes

At a fair full of random people

And forgetting to wash my hands.

I miss going to music concerts

While dancing among the stars.

But this is the new world.

We must protect one another.

Science is real and this virus hurts.

So be mindful of those most vulnerable

And always remember this my friend:

Nature never was our sanctuary; humanity is.

Chad A. Damitz