In the Mist

John Grey is an Australian poet and a US resident. His works have been published in Sheepshead Review, Stand, Poetry Salzburg Review and Hollins Critic. John Grey's latest books, 'Leaves On Pages' 'Memory Outside The Head' and 'Guest Of Myself' are available through Amazon. His work is being featured in upcoming issues of Ellipsis, Blueline and International Poetry Review.

The mist is thick but near-weightless.

Yet the trees holding it up,

look drained, depleted,

as if it’s liquid lead.

Dawn has broken

but try telling that

to this family’s eyes.

Grayness is not morning.

A few birds are awake.

But they don’t fly.

They seep in and out of the air.

And their songs

are fog-muted.

The garden keeps

all petals folded.

Each flower knows

that there’s nothing to be gained

by opening now.

Car lights carve

their way through the miasma.

A clanging garbage truck

ensures the whole street

that they can hear

what they don’t see.

Other houses go missing.

The sidewalks are as blank

as unprocessed film.

The town’s population

is restless, depressed,

and confined to this house.

Weatherman says,

this will all lift by noon.

Something inside me says,

we will all lift by noon.