On Living Alone:

         

On Living Alone

People ask me

   If I live alone

   no, I say—

I have three orchid plants

   two crafty geckos

   ants, now and then,

   and ti leaves peeking 

   in my window.

All are demanding

   opinionated

   convinced that 

   watching the news

   is bad for everyone.

Notice us,

   say those plush velvet faces,

   where did you hide the ants,

   say the geckos

   water us, say the stalkers—

Let nature in and soon

   you are too busy

   to track tragedies 

   happening somewhere

   to someone else

   

over which—sadly

   you have no control

   unless, perhaps, it is to

   love the little things

   nurture the small

   

because by doing so

   the world survives

   and in the end

   I dare to hope

   

   goodness wins.