Umbrellas

A poem for dark times

Photo by Joy Stamp on Unsplash

Shelter
The tenuous, fragile membranes that shield —
Stitched together
Held to jointed tines, ribs we pray will be
Solid and strong, but also
flexible
So the battering winds will bend, not break
And though we may be tossed about
Blown here and there
Our sanctuaries will stay with us
Gripped in our desperate fists
Pulled down around us
Flawed and imperfect
Tattered and here and there
Broken
But better than…