By Leah Jordan Meahl

 

I am the first star of dusk,

Waiting for the others to join me,

But they’re still light-years away.

 

I am the bear in hibernation,

Awakening from sleep,

But with no one keeping me warm.

 

I am the bird in V formation,

Flying south for winter,

But I prefer the cold.

 

I am the unending echo

Singing through the canyon,

But no one responds to my cry.

 

Will the sun do more than mark the day?

Or can I just sleep away this solitude,

But the choice is not my own.

 

-LJM

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12