“Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity," wrote T.S. Eliot. To help make productive use of our self-isolation and social distancing, Lit Cleveland is offering free writing challenges each week via our newsletter. The following piece is a response to the "Nature in Words and Images" prompt.

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Breath from air

by Sujata Lakhe

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Thundering thuds on the windowpane,

rains mixed with icy stones,

Luna’s deafening counter-attack inane,

April night of heavy storms.

You cannot bark it away, dog!

Pond lights up with a flash,

tonight, sky and earth they clash.

to the ground majestic pine crown,

yellow lights blinking at Passover moon.

Great, isolation might get more real, real soon!

The proud willow weeps at the floating sprig,

translucent-parrot-green-baby leaves on it’s twigs,

Xylem, not an evil straw, has found a gig.

even though no roots there,

in sun’s pursuit to make breath from air!

Softly sunny, post-storm spring afternoon.

slanting photons ping on vivacious daffodil faces,

and on dead stems of hollyhock unpruned

on green Hosta and on decrepit spaces.

Illuminating them without —any prejudices!

Over my eyes, there is a constant shade that,

is cast by the visor of a red baseball hat.

The desire to multiply of this tenth-of-a-micron germ

trumps us and makes humanity squirm.

“Going viral” will never be the same—again!

Stereo-birdcalls to my left and then to my right,

be still dear human, get extraordinary insight.

Coyotes on Michigan Avenue,

peacocks took over a town.

With or without human, —nature will march on!

Concentric rings of frogs plopping,

from the edge of the pond where I am walking.

Reverie broken by the toes —wet,

a wasp is hovering at a hole nearby,

broken wing notwithstanding

would that be its home tonight?

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