Inhale. It’s a shout from above A quick demand of attention Winding down becomes a sprint for the window Down below the streets are alive The first exhale taken at all this year. Children are gathered, friends are huddled Families are close, and partners are inseparable The tv is blearing, but it’s not our focus Outside, neighbors pull chairs, others line their windows Lighters at the ready, boxes in position, they wait A quick inhale, baited breaths, we await the countdown Eyes on the sky, clear, no clouds in sight It’s been a year, a mix of things we can’t name An exhale, we set the sky alight, and enjoy the next day.