Cassandra

Apollo let her see the future

yet made sure no one would listen.

Money is our Apollo now,

steering public policy.

And scientists are our Cassandras

warning of the rising seas,

feedback loops that never end,

faster thawing permafrost,

hotter heat waves, forest fires,

novel infections rising daily.

When Cassandra foretold the fate of Troy,

Trojans laughed and turned away,

her people heard but did not listen.

Many now don’t even hear

the guidance from our own Cassandras.

JEFF STAPLES

Keene

When You’re Not

She put her empty glass down

Wine had had its way with her again

She fumbled to remember our day

As I remembered it

We ”see” things differently

Different shades, different hues, different tones

No two palettes are the same

She prefers orange and I blue

They’re complementary

She reminds me

Autumn

Has its way too

And you only realize it when enough days have passed

And enough leaves have fallen

And the ground is doily’d with frost

Autumn days happen

When the sun decides to hide

And a chill breathes through your buttonholes

Its time

What happened?

The trick “they” say

That “they” that has no name

But always seems to “know,” the ubiquitous subtleties of life

Is to keep your head

The one you have on your shoulders

It’s then you can watch

And perhaps understand

What it’s like to disappear

STEPHEN SERAICHICK

Keene