And Then What Happened?

It was late in October,
Back in twenty-twenty four,
And the balance of the world
Registered precarious.

There were people caught in wars
Or fleeing collapsing states.
There were people expecting
Wars and preparing escapes.

Democracy resembled
Endangered, charismatic
Megafauna—far too cute

To allow to go extinct,
But not a beast most people
Wanted to clean up after.