Locusts

Locusts

Haley Baumeister

those who look to him
are radiant
those who thrash against
and wrestle in distress
they are close enough
for nearness

you say you will repay
the years the locusts have eaten
the oppressive kind
of the world
my fleshy mind
the devil
destroying and devouring
whole years
or perhaps months, weeks, days, acute moments

despondency
acedia
they aid their dark companion
feeding angry sadness
finding inadequacy
and regret
unearthed in silence

the locusts have eaten much
stolen pleasure
taken time
dampened life
carved caverns
out of connection, out of hope

the desolation gnaws
can the brokenhearted heal?
the regret stings
can the wounds be bound up?

unlike the wretched swarms
feeding on the worst of shadows
we are creatures
sustained by the person
who, wrestled with
has a garment to be touched
eyes to be seen
warmth to be felt
strength to be known
by the gaze
which, turned toward
makes us radiant

even darkness is not dark to you
even locusts cannot ravage all
covered in that merciful radiance
we will never be put to shame

---

Haley Baumeister
Poet

Haley lives with her husband and three young boys in Wisconsin. She enjoys putting the writing of others in conversation with each other through her Substack newsletter, Life Considered.

Photography by Christina Terzidou