After the Election Ghazal

After the Election I switch off the post-race pixels, daring them to awaken disturbed sleep presses chaotic highways into sheets, I awaken the squirrel scurries across the coaxial cables chubby jowls desperate to outlive the chill, a cat awakens I lift the compost lid, recycling my own disbelief frozen molecules of putrid air slice my nose, senses awaken in the four-billion-year- old dawn, a fisherman stirs he pokes a sleeping bundle, his grandson’s delight awakens my office key wrestles with the curmudgeon lock everything is, as it was, but more worthy of vigilance, I awaken Elizabeth Mathes, 2016