Moon ate the dark
– the virus did not catch him
since he was sitting inside the prison.

Moon ate the dark
– his private darkness was suddenly a sanctuary of light
and a shelter from the storm.

Moon ate the dark
– they had locked him inside a vault to keep him away,
but now they understood, they had locked the cure for the pandemic inside as well.

Moon ate the dark
– his lonely cocoon was suddenly the securest place to be
in the world rapidly spiraling towards pure mayhem and fear.

Paula Puolakka is a Beat poet, writer, and MA (History of Science and ideas.) Her latest work can be found through Fewer Than 500, Jerry Jazz Musician, and Poetry Potion.