Another year, another eclipse, though we’re nowhere near the totality this time – though there must be myriads of people hastily traveling from here to there, eager to see the moon blot out the sun. I saw an eclipse in the first grade, and they were SO EMPHATIC about us not blinding ourselves that to this day, I don’t think of an eclipse without a mild sense of lingering dread. Though it is indeed dangerous to blind yourself with the sun, it’s a little sad when the wonder is wrung out of a thing due to warnings and reminders and instructions. It’s a bit sad that I don’t know why people hop on planes, drive for hours, and insist on being there… what are they looking for?
april 8, 2024
klaxons sound warnings
in silence totality
swallowing us whole
like birth, we’re released
the ineffable, reached for
while we stand, gazing
We considered driving north to Cleveland or west to Dayton, but when it came right down to it, the best choice was to sit on our own back porch and leave all the traffic and hassles to others. We had a fine and relaxed viewing. Only a minute of totality, but that was enough to inspire plenty of wonder.
A choir member said that when she went for her afternoon walk, she stayed hunched over in case she accidentally gazed into the sun~she must have been in the same first grade class as you.