to time

when to dream oneself among stars

in the eyes that could still

be fallen into as one leap for the

moon

when potential was more than to wake to the next day

and hope more than the abatement of fear

it has been only three years

only

but lifetimes

lifelines

altered and spent

in ways we can no longer sense

a way back

to grasp the rung swinging by

labeled future

or determination

or perseverance

what we lack now is not a resource we might scour out but

that blink of an eye that can become a whole new means of

living outside

native restraints

changed so much over generations

native newly defining and restraints bound tighter than ever felt before

so where do we turn?

who can help whom?

can our reach, tenuous as it is, stretch to touch fingertip to fingertip

make a difference?

can we try

anymore?