April 2020 – It Is Not National Poetry Month

It is nurse month. It is doctor month. It is delivery driver month. It is the neglected month.

But it is not National Poetry Month.

It is national alone month. It is frustration month. It is how am I going to pay the rent month. It is why can’t I get anything done month. It is what is normal month. It is just trying to get through the day let alone the month month. It is I need an answer month. It is trying not to let everything fall apart month. It is desperately seeking structure month.

Just show me the poem that makes a sick person well. Show me the poem that stops every restaurant I love from shutting down. Show me the poem that makes the world normal again. Show me that poem and then tell me how this is poetry month.

Because otherwise, it’s just trying to find the bright side month. Because this is this month that has been a year month. This is what’s going to happen to my kids month. This is a million body bags month.

Any other month in any other year can be National Poetry Month. But not this one.

This is tightness in the chest month.

This is trying not to cry month.

This is the lonely month.

And this is not National Poetry Month.