When the Power Goes Out (a poem for quiet moments)

I wrote this during one of Kenya’s (frequent, albeit brief) power outages. Though inconvenient, I find they can offer some much-needed respite from the constant activity that light, connectivity and music demand. They leave a bit of space for reflection…

When the Power Goes Out: Quiet

When the power goes out,
I return home to pen and paper
and write by the glow of a single
(electronic) lantern on the bar.
When the power goes out,
the hum of never-ending action pauses,
and I can hear the wind in the leaves
and the whine of mosquitoes—
Magic stillness.
When the power goes out,
Quiet touches the darkness
with its fingertips
and wraps around my mind.
When the power goes out,
I take a deep breath,
wonder—for a moment—what to do,
And smile.

Power outages, delays, mistakes… so many blessings in disguise. Don’t you think?