vermont 2020
perseids remembered
in the rowboat calm lake starry sky
no moon daughter demi and I talk
quietly or not at all keeping watch for
shooting stars tonight is the perseid
shower it’s been an hour still no display
suddenly a giant ball of fire arches across
the sky horizon to horizon momentary
daylight we gasp we simultaneously hear
gasps from all along the shore we’d thought
we were alone waiting but that simultaneous
wonder proved all were out on their docks
watching too it was a moment never to be
forgotten the perseid shower will come here
soon watch on august 12th we are covid
quarantined but we can still survey the sky
2020 Jacqueline Jackson
This article appears in Summerguide 2020.
