Arielle Junca

A Poem By Arielle Junca

i miss the beach

the freedom of tomorrow 

the sand that clings, begging to come along

the embrace from a friend

the smell of sunscreen

i miss having things to look forward to

sitting on your couch drinking wine with open hearts

the coffee shop filled with strangers and an abundance of time

no rush or hurry, no impulse to wash or sanitize

i miss the mutual unspoken trust

a door held open was just kindness, not a threat by an invisible enemy

i miss having the choice to slow down rather than the order

Arielle’s words carry such a specific sting of the collective moment. Throughout her piece, she parallels a world that once was with the world that is now and strings them together with a sense of longing. The sentiment ends with a proverbially punch to the gut in Junca’s last line, “i miss have the choice to slow down rather than the order".