HAIKUS/TANKA

Apologies for My Absence

I’ve allowed the US election to seize authoritarian power to repress my desire to read your works — or write my own

Photo by poet, mug a gift from Penzey’s Spices

Forgive me, my friends
My energy’s been hijacked
My bad, I admit

Past last battles, lost
Ego arming Peace’s foes
Fear still war-whooping

Wake, my soul, to truth
Winning candidate, my heart
All alarms silenced

Time to write — and read
Return to what sustains me
Creative voices
Electing sweet surrender
To Light despite such darkness

©Jenine Bsharah Baines 2024

Thank you, Thomas James, for the safe haven at The Crooked Circle. A crookedly-drawn circle is such a perfect depiction of my mind — endlessly circling in jagged rings of fear, judgment, loathing, anxiety anxiety anxiety throughout this interminable US election season.

Ah, it’s finally ending. Well, at least this phase of it. With MAGA and its dear leader, all bets are off.