Roads to Roam

by Paige V. Maylott

Because, for now, I cannot leave my home,
And profoundly crave this warmer weather,
Within my mind I will find roads to roam. 

I’m learning to fear my microbiome.
So, six feet apart – we stand together;
Because, for now, I cannot leave my home. 

Some days this house feels like a catacomb:
The dusty air, shuttered in, and alone –
Retreat to my mind and find roads to roam. 

But with windows wide, joy is inward blown.
A child’s squeals and the tease of evening meals –
Because, for now, I cannot leave my home. 

Thankfully, I’ve got escapes of my own:
I’ll tour books, and games, or with friends online –
Away I travel on the roads I roam. 

I’ll longingly recall this sanctum domed,
With fresh united ways we’ve lived apart-
though, just for now, I cannot leave my home,
so, in my mind I will find roads to roam.

Paige V. Maylott has published several short stories in Hamilton, Ontario’s INCITE Magazine as well as a self-published tabletop game book. She is currently writing an intersectional memoir on managing critical illness and transgender identity creation through online exploration. A life-long resident of Hamilton, Ontario, she lives with her partner, her dog, two cats, and a pet rabbit. Her day job is at McMaster University where she works in Library Accessibility Ser vices helping students with disabilities to find creative alternatives for print course materials. K. Nizar, a multi-disciplinary artist from Kerala’s Kozhikode, who began his career on movie-sets doing art works before becoming a visualization artist for a leading newspaper in Kerala.