I wrote this poem today in response to the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. 

This morning

(November 9^th, 2016)

 

This morning

the light was gray

and I tried to go back to sleep

for a while.

 

This morning

I made breakfast of fried eggs with chili sauce,

but it tasted gummy and white.

 

This morning

someone wrote to me

asking if I was okay.

 

This morning

I got texts that just read

‘What’.

 

This morning

I saw messages typed

by people I love

saying ‘this is not the country

I know. This is not

what I believe.’

 

This morning

I cried in bed

and wished it was yesterday.

 

This morning

I watched TV hosts who make me laugh

look as if they were about to cry too.

 

This morning

I questioned reality.

 

This morning

I was afraid for myself

and people close to me.

 

This morning

I wished I could hug my mom.

 

This morning

I hoped that I misunderstood

all the headlines.

That there would be

a twist at the last minute

like in fiction, when everything goes dark

 

but you know it’s just

that moment before

the hero dusts herself off

and everything is fine again.

 

This morning

I tried to remember

how kind people can be.

 

How, in this world,

there are still kittens wearing sweaters

somewhere

and Tom Hanks in a Pumpkin suit.

 

There is still good gelato

a few blocks away.

 

And there are millions of people

who didn’t want this to happen.

 

This morning

I told someone I loved them.

 

I drank coffee and thought about the day,

how the best way forward

is to write

a poem

 

Which is like saying

I’m here. Where are you?

Which is like saying

Here’s my hand. I’m scared too.

Which is like saying

We will get through this together.

I hear you, I hear you.

 

This morning

I remembered there will be

an afternoon and an evening.

 

Then,

another day.