SAILING THE GLOBE FROM BED

The earth to be spanned, connected by network,                  
The oceans to be crossed, the distant brought near
~ Walt Whitman

During the plague years, my social life boomed.
One week I went to five birthdays, 
two weddings, and an anniversary bash
in my nightgown and fluffy socks.
Attended the birth of a litter of puppies 
complete with my party hat and sparkled cheeks. 

Years later, we’ve forgotten how to live 
in our comfy prison, but we still zoom 
to cancel geography and mute face and voice 
for a moment’s sneeze. I can easily sail, 
catching big intellectual winds 
to broad horizons, and from the bridge 
of my bed salute fellow nomads.

Our desert islands disrupted the freeways.
Artists painted sidewalks and abandoned malls. 
People were often kind and quick
to cherish any genuine sharing. 
We little knew the press of tomorrow. 
In words bouncing from satellites 
we were bees browsing roses 
making a community honey.

Rachel Dacus is the author of eight novels and five poetry collections. Her new novel, The Deadly Tea, will be released in summer of 2026. Her poetry has appeared in Boulevard, Gargoyle, Prairie Schooner, and several anthologies. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. More on her website www.racheldacus.net.