POETRY

BEVERLY L. TABER Gray

The drought continues

The heat, when you are not accustomed to it, becomes oppressive

Covered in smoke from fires, thankfully not so close that we have to leave And yet it brings the memories of not long ago, when it was our turn.

We were lucky not to have lost life

And had means to recover

But here we are, years later still trying to rebuild our neighborhoods

That I will not live long enough to see recover

Most of the neighbors did not return, or left shortly after returning Only about a year and a half after our conflagration

The news of a terrible pandemic spreading rapidly

Now we are here in the home we built so many years ago

And yet feel so isolated in a place no longer so beautiful.

I need to wear a mask to protect myself from the thick acrid smoke

Or the deadly virus.

This new normal feels gray and lonely.

A special treat today

As the gray skies were clouds instead of smoke

And drizzles of rain pleasantly sprayed us, off and on through the day

The temperature dropped to a comfortable level

The other side of gray

Such a lovely day.

Beverly L. Taber says: “Retired Registered Nurse. Worked for Red Cross Blood Services of Southern California for 22 years. It was our dream to move to Northern California when we retired. Moved to Redding, in Northern California, 21 years ago, where I worked for another 10 years with a local blood bank. I live with my husband of over 41 years and our cat in the house we built here 20 years ago. We are survivors of the Carr fire, summer of 2018. Though much damage to our property and some to the house, our house was one of the few survivors of the fire.”

Miller, Poetry Editor