National Poetry Month, April 28, 2023 — I step outside into the fresh air
a deep breath brings a cough
the first to the north are still burning
the land, the air, the water, my lungs I long to see the sun
it has been a while
when it is visible
it is red The clouds come by
sometimes they pause
and she cries for a minute
but not enough to stop the fires not enough to see the sun
not enough to save the land
to clean the air, or the water
nor my lungs