Essay about a New World (June 3 2020) and a poem

A new world  - what is it like?

I woke up today to the morning’s early light coming through the window. I could hear Cathy and Sergio next door starting their day with some sharp laughter and the clunking of dishes in the sink. I will remind my husband to take over the latest harvest of greens. Sergio came over yesterday to work on the loose door on our bedroom - he let himself in as we were both at work - we have been trading work for food these past few months and it has been really working out. Cathy’s compost helps our garden grow and it is the produce from our garden that helps us barter and trade for items we need. While we work away from the house, my husband takes the bike path to work - many of the roads have been removed to make room for more green spaces and our neighbors each have something they can make or sell or barter so there was no longer a need for the big box stores down the road. Our local grocer began to stock shelves with items from the surrounding farms. We can still drive - but it is only for long trips, major roadways still take us to the big cities but even the cities have changed. It is so nice to see all of the different people from different backgrounds living in the same spaces. We had two of our neighbors convert their land into tiny houses for veterans and people who had found themselves homeless. There is a large community garden and they send the extra produce to our grocer. Much of what comes to the store if it comes at all are from family owned and operated farms and you can find all of the season’s bounty - just today I got some strawberries so small and pink and juicy bursting with flavor and perfect for shortcake. The Eastside Urban Farm Store has expanded because most families are growing something or raising livestock our local butcher carries game as well as the standard fare - oh and did I mention that crime is practically nonexistent? No murder or rape or burglary - no need as we are helping those in need or who need help and if someone makes a mistake, we could at root cause rather than shame or blame the person into obscurity. So the money going into policing is used to help restore green spaces and housing for all - no need for a large mortgage - we work to build homes using repurposed materials from the destruction of those shopping centers and strip malls or we converted them into living spaces since each person has a purpose a talent - everyone finds something they can create, grow, weave, build, or exchange for what is needed.  There are bubbles of us in this new world we have created together.

Exercise - take phrases from this piece and create a poem from those phrases

The morning’s early light

Casts rainbows through my front windows

As the world awakens

Casting aside the shame and blame

From yesterday

And putting on work gloves

To dig into the places

Where change needs to happen

A conversation

A hug

A good cry to mourn

How its still not so good

And how we can be better

Removing ourselves from

Comfortable bubbles

And walking beside

And listening

And not losing momentum

Making strides in a forward

Motion

Doing the work

To make this place

Better for all.