Before The Virus

Before the virus

We meandered along,

Sometimes with the clarity

Of bees or ants.

Task to task.
One that must be done?

All that you might ask.

One form of happiness

Is having just

Ever so slightly

Too much to do.

Almost not enough time

Condenses the process;

Sharpens the focus,

Provides a tangible goal.

You need to get there.

That sense of urgency

Colors the shadows;

Gives reason its right to be

As well as its certainty.

Finally, with massive

Effort the task is completed.

It’s Miller Time.

And on and on and on

It went before the virus.

Strangers on the train

Sharing glances;

Strangers at home

With their habit dances.

Strangers seeking light,

Seeking affirmation

They exist.

You must persist.

So many planes.

The physical, which is 

Not just for the young bucks.

Can’t get no at any age 

Pretty much sucks.

The ethereal with ideals

Prancing in the twilight:

That time of evening

Where Rod Serling and Walter Cronkite

Might have shared a Bud.

This one’s for you both.

In the city or

In the country

Small town Saturday nights

Are the same.

“Hey, what you hoodlums, doing?”

“Nothing much, Junior, just trying to have some fun.”

And we did

Before the virus.

We took youth and that

Level of freedom for granted,

As we did that the smart people

Would stay in charge.

That the honest people

Would get elected to serve,

That where we call home

Is paradise.

And it is.

Well, was it really?

Or was it 

Just our shared illusion?

That we were the good guys.

We were. In 1941.

Can’t say that now.

Corporations are people

So says the high court.

Just what are those dudes sniffing?

Money squawks as it walks.

It WILL tell you a story.

How many rich men are honest?

How many honest men are rich?

These days in 2020

There are Americans

Wearing and waving

Nazi flags.

There are people

Drinking poison

Because … well …

Honestly,

Because they are fucking stupid.

And, of course,

There is the White House problem.

We knew it would be this way.

We said, “Watch out,

When there is actual crisis.”

We said it a 1,000 times

Before the virus.