Featured Poem

Orbits and Rotations

John Grey

It’s still dark out.

But the sparrows are awake.

Same as the dogs.

They witness night leave

and day arrive.

But not you and I.

We dream through the moon’s subsidence.

And the sun’s triumph.

The change from black to blue sky,

shape to detail,

is of no interest.

We’ve the science to back up our laziness.

But a bird, a dog,

are oblivious to orbits and rotations.

To them, a new day

could just be luck.

They’re up and prepared,

in case that luck runs out.

When we get out of bed,

the sparrows are singing,

the dogs are barking.

We rub our eyes

to the sound of their relief.

Originally published in Coneflower Cafe, 2023.