Today's poem is Before Sunset by Anne Cyr. It is read by Samaa Abdurraqib.
Before Sunset
The family next door finally departs.
Dogs, babies, corn hole tournaments,
jumping off the dock—
gone, all gone.
The renters on the other side
also take their leave—
four ladies, four vehicles
coming and going
at all hours...
Goodbye, so long.
The crazy lady behind me
power washing her house,
yammering on the phone,
her voice cutting through the air
has finally called it a day—
good riddance.
I grab my book and head for the shore,
blending into the weather gray chair.
A blue heron preens on pier railing,
an orange fox leaps across the law.
Yellow warblers tug on berries in nearby bush.
And the evening sun backlights all,
slowly turning the red house on the island
gold.