Offunato’s “Yesterday”

satellites show yesterday
before
neat blocks of homes and businesses
after
a matchstick-math of devastation

5 p.m.
“Yesterday”
jingles
like an ice-cream van
and “troubles seemed so far away”

to let the children know it’s time for play
in this deep debris field
now all disorderly
a change of tune
now lessons done

yesterday
a half-life and a half-life and a half-life away
there were reactions
worldwide
there is fallout
sorrow
but hope never spent