Every time my lover
Goes out the door 
I wonder
Will he come back 
Safe and sound,
with corona going around
 
Conscience says...
Don't worry
See the woman walking her dog outside
Join her in her walk
Your dogs are bored and listless
See the crow hopping on the tree
before a backdrop of blue sky and cotton candy clouds
And you,
Fearless yoga teacher
Canceled all classes did you not?
Now you know--
That's not the way to be.

Conscience, 
listen to me--
I feel I'm doing my part
The White House, 
said to do this.

Conscience says...
But girl you're not white
When did you go with the sheep?

Please,
I don't know if I'm right
But I'm doing my part in practicing 
"social distancing"

Give me a week to think this over

Yesterday dancing in the street
Next day,
Our family restaurant shut down
Into a surreal world
Where vampires sweep the grocery stores
String beans strewn on the floors
All the shelves scraped clean
"Three minutes to closing time", I keep hearing
But don't you close at 12 PM and it's only 9 PM
Don't you know, we need to eat?

I hear in the air, through the lines, and in lines
We have a chance to make a better world

One that values life
Perhaps the teeter totter of our lives
Makes life more precious
I love my husband lover,
 like there is no tomorrow 
Yet, only yesterday
I was hollering--
Empty the trash, get organized.

So conscience,
I'm heading for an open nursery
to find roses to plant in the Spring
I hope I'm not too late
But first,
I'll take the dogs for a walk

Genie Nakano, March 17, 2020