This strangely cocooned life is dominated by reflections.
Just months ago, we still had visions.
All we see now is on a TV screen
and framed by windowpanes.
Without us, life goes on.
Clouds drift, a bird flies by, a flower blooms
while we reflect in our shrinking rooms.
Will the cloud, the bird, the flower know when we are gone?
Kim M. Russell, 3rd April 2020
My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads NaPoWriMo Day 3 Play it Again in April 2020: Existentialism
Today’s existentialism prompt is from April 3, 2013. Kerry shared ‘Futility’ by Wilfred Owen as an example of an existentialist poem, in which ‘the environment is harsh, the speaker feels isolated from the society he has sworn to protect, and relates his sense of hopelessness at leading his men to their deaths’.
I’m merging this prompt with Kerry’s Skylover Wordlist, sourced from Dylan Thomas’s poetry collection Deaths and Entrances, from which the third word is ‘vision’.
writing in north norfolk 
Wonderful writing, Kim. I particularly like ‘our shrinking rooms’ – in fact all of those last 3 lines. Good question! I tell you what – the ones that are born after we are gone will not miss us.
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Thank you, Rosemary. I think you’re right about after we’re gone.
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What beautiful words, Kim. This was so thought-provoking and creates a wonderful sense of perspective!
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Thank you for reading and commenting, Loretta!
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Achingly beautiful, Kim! 💘 I resonate with; “Will the cloud, the bird, the flower know when we are gone?” They just might.
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Thank w, Sanaa. ❤
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I, too, resonate with your poem. Deeply felt and honouring truth, I think💕
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Thank you!
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Our absence will no doubt be noted, but likely will not be mourned.
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I think so too, Ron.
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Cocooned is a good description. I hope we emerge transformed. (K)
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Thanks Kerfe.
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The birds trill every morning.and are oblivious to our woes. As everyone has said,we will not be missed but our absence will be noted because the planet will rejuvenate and be a better pl;ace to inhabit.
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So apt for what we are experiencing today Kim. I especially like ‘shrinking rooms.’
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Thank you, Linda.
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They are already creeping out into the newly empty streets and spaces…………sigh. What a sad state we have come to.
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Too soon!
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The bird song is now louder because we humans have been forced to be quiet. Oh, I hope we learn from this.
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I hope that humans stay quiet after the pandemic is over – and that everyone has learned to listen..
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Oh Kim….this is so desolate. I cannot bear it.
Stay safe, my friend. Stay healthy.
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Thank you, Lill, and you. It seems to be getting worse here and in the US. The only thing we can do is stay at home and make the best of the peace and quiet. I just got back from doing three circuits around the football pitch with only the wind, birds and my own shadow for company.
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