Hope Blooms: A Poem by Michael Massa

Hope Blooms: A Poem

The pandemic entered with the previous year’s “Ides of March”,

boldly carousing ... random and ravishing..

It tried to stop everything and anything in its way that it could.

-But It could not Stop Faith.

It made people afraid,

with feverish anxiety...

-But it could not Stop Love

It forced people to stay apart from one another...

-But It could not Stop Closeness

It ruthlessly tore through the streets ...

-But it could not Stop  Peace

It turned the world topsy turvey,

-But it could not Stop the world from Spinning

It darkened our special places like perpetual night..

-But it could not Stop the Stars from shining

It flourished like a group of shadows..

-But it could not Stop the Living

It sowed doubt into peoples’ souls with an infectious sneer,

-But it could not Stop Hope

And finally,  weakened, it reluctantly

tried to replant itself, 

-But beheld the glory and promise of 

  April’s Cherry blossoms...

-and it simply could not stop them 

from blooming.