Stark as Empty Hands
By Declan Fry, Craig Santos Perez
Published 28 June 2023
stark as empty hands
the tree without leaves
is the first image I grasp after leaving
my home to walk the streets at night,
to let go of the last remnants of the day,
whose light now takes new forms
like pulsing bulbs of flowers,
blossoming on sidewalks,
in offices and apartments,
Endless human fires.