she is making yogurt   it is warming

in the oven   on the stovetop

she is making soup   minestrone   enough

to last a week   my task is cleaning house

top to bottom   up and down   

in and out   between the cracks   now

by the window with tea   above the empty street

i watch a still-life

knowing the sparrow will break the stillness

and that behind windows across the street

others   like us   are making do

or failing to make do   we are settling in

this may take some time   we are

presuming nothing about the outcome

~

marcy calls   i put her on speaker so we both

can hear and talk with her   

her voice is sure and strong   it always has been   

marcy is a third-year med school student

now doing frontline work   

her concern is with us   we reassure her 

our concern is with her   she reassures us

assuaging concern

is not enough   but it is the new reality   lots of pain   

lots of sweet kitty videos   lots of social media   

it does help   after the call

the apartment is too quiet   four walls closing in   

i put on music   the soup simmers   we slow dance

our way into the evening