Oiy! The news can weigh me down. I feel like I’m generally an optimistic person, but lately, after I watch the news, it’s hard for me to be hopeful about the future of our country, environment, schools, water….

Missing hope
 

 I boxed up hope 
 some time ago
 and can’t remember where I hid it.
 I searched and found
 despair and doubt,
 and came across indifference 
 buried deep within 
 an empty chest.
 But hope still came up missing.
 
I dug through pockets worn before,
 paged through scrapbook memories,
 even found a thread or two 
 on lovers, family, friends.
 But still hope came up missing.
 
A niggling fear begins to grow
 I’ve caught it up with other things
 and dumped or gave away 
 to those with less.
 I need it now,
 I understand,
 to clothe
 my skeleton of stone.
 
But hope still comes up missing.