At a Time Like This

Donna Freeman

September 4, 2022

At a time like this

When bets are broken

When breath is held

When eyes don’t look

When fingers point 

When tall men become tiny boys

and small boys suddenly

 become men

   at a time like this.

And everyone shows their colors,

     black and white,

     true blue or red,

at a time like this.

But there is no time like this

when reality is not a reality show

and no one shows

their real colors

     not red, blue, 

     not even green

at a time like this.

What can we do,  

what is enough

at a time like this?

We can write.

We can paint.

We can still create

at a time like this.

And we pray

There will never be

a time like this

Again.

Donna Freeman’s poems have appeared in Wilderness House Literary Review, Blue Lake Review, Ocean State Poets Anthology, RI Public's Radio “Virtual Gallery,” and Imago gallery. Wickford Art Gallery will display another poem of Donna’s and publish it in a book in September for their themed show “Hope.”