Singing to the sunset

from a divine distance

a solid bamboo stick her mic

she is the wandering minstrel

at this evening’s deck concert

the cellphone’s lyrics her muse

lighting up her full moon face

It’s the neighbor’s teen girl

who picks up the dog shit

and waters the tomatoes

another child born of ash

imprisoned by the pandemic

battling low emotional IQ

now a sliding door away from adults

She sings her life unfettered

belts an unfamiliar teen tune

to the high-grass grazing horse

the hidden hummingbirds

sends the final high note to heaven

swings the mic like a Tai Chi long pole

to defeat the darkness of the world

Mark Strohschein is poet, English teacher, musician, and resident of Whidbey Island in Washington state. He recently finished first book of poetry, Walking a Country Mile, that explores the mystery and wonders of nature, place and politics.