We walked the dusty street,

Leaves have blown against the cracks

Stores and restaurants show signs of stress.

Some venders closed for certain days 

Others open with StreetSide cafes in front.

Others boarded up with RIP signs, now, ‘Closed.’

People’s smiles are still covered with mask

Some fun, some just black or white

So, you look at the eyes to see, if they are smiling. 

Sometimes you think they are 

Sometimes you are pretty sure they are not.

But you smile anyway and hope they noticed.

I see the sweet owner with her blonde hair

Step out to freshen the café tables 

She is only a shadow of her old self.  

She has lost weight but still just as lovely

Her spring dress is apron adorned.

She busies herself, she survived.   

The trees line the streets in autumn

The dead leaves continue to fall 

Symbolic of the last 18 months.

The wind has a familiar air of a post war, 

a time where everything was changed

A time now, where it will never be the same.

I walk with a friend who knew the before 

She now feels the after 

We, stop to shop for Christmas

We smile and remember 

We talk of hope and December 

And for a moment, we feel a healing touch.

copyrighted: 2021 CMM