Empty Shelves

KATHARYN SALSMAN

March 19, 2020

The empty shelves in the store tell me I should be at home, but

The packed restaurant on Monday tells me I’m overreacting.

Two scrolls on Facebook tell me I’m already infected, but

The busy makeup store on Tuesday tells me my city doesn’t need to follow the rules.

The news reports each morning tell me COVID-19 is running rampant, but

The birds chirping while I walk my dog on Wednesday tell me everything is going to be okay.

KATHARYN SALSMAN is an elementary school teacher in West Texas. She is currently working on a master's degree from Texas Tech University.