The article says to be present with your children, breathe 

 

through your nose  

 

does not say                how lonely the smothering  

 

Says to be careful at the grocery store, outsource  

 

infection  

 

does not say           what will kill  

 

the hunger  

 

Says to be essential at work, leave  

 

your clothes at the door  

 

does not say           the weight of come in,  

 

don’t come in  

 

Says to be human in the chat, offer  

 

glimpses of your home life 

 

                                                                       does not say              how far              the unraveling  

 

Says to be capital, be  

 

worth protecting  

 

does not say  

 

how these rooms  

 

are crowded  

 

                                                                    Says to be capital, be  

 

                                                                                 worth protecting 

 

             does not measure 

 

             the weight of knee  

 

              on neck 

 

Says to be present with  

 

your partner,                   put your phone                         in a different room  

 

does not say  

 

how we lay down  

 

broken  

 

Says to be full of grace like the animals, do not dream  

 

of eating them  

 

does not say             how the dog and I  

 

regard each other  

 

Says to be well-adjusted, measure  

 

the silence  

 

does not say             how to use the instruments  

 

Says to be grateful in every moment, notice  

 

the trees  

 

does not say             how to sing a dirge 

 

Says to be in communion, sing out  

 

the windows 

 

does not say when                    the echo  

                     

                                                                                                                   will finish