Who’s Ralph and who’s Jack,

and poor Piggy and Simon,

in our war torn paradise?

~

Whoever the fly

lands on is the war lord’s pick

to help his lies go viral.

Too bad they haven’t

found a vaccine for human

stupidity yet.

~

That vile virus

is almost untreatable

and, sadly, rarely fatal.

Trump defeats Covid?

Perhaps a bit premature…

like “Dewey Defeats Truman”?

~

And he did it all

so quickly without even

his well-touted bleach.

How we feel about

dark clouds hovering depends

on our need for rain.

~

Seemingly grim news

may be better in the end

than all our wildest dreams.

No…but than again…

Yes, but just a little bit…

not out of the woods quite yet…

~

Much talk but little

substance. Why complicate things

by circling all around.

For the sparks to fly

sometimes you do not even

have to strike a match.

~

With some folks there is,

for unkenable reasons,

spontaneous combustion.

Curbing base instincts,

we change course, here in mid stream,

deferring our planned critique.

~

We agreed it seemed

wrong to kick a man when he’s

down though that’s what he would do.

Over head birds soar

as we plod step after step

through another day.

~

Some steps would be good!

A day wasted reading deeds

to allay another’s fears…

Did he toss his hat

into that time honored ring,

expecting Donnybrook Fair?

~

When you dance a jig

with Donny you get only

foot-stomping lies, nothing fair.

What ever happened

to mea culpa and why

did it disappear?

~

As our world became

a culture of perfection,

vestra culpa seized control.

What a taxing day!

Full of charge and counter-charge,

bombast and innuendo.

~

If truth were taxed, he

 would owe none since he never

found it worth investing in.

What would happen if,

as a nation, we acted

on what we say we stand for?

~

We just might become

that shining hilltop beacon

we profess ourselves to be.

Qualifications?

Do we need a litmus test;

nomination implicates.

~

We already have

litmus tests for character:

honesty and wise action.

Civilizations

die when tyrants shout and the

tyrannized remain silent.

~

Evidence of that

institutional decay

sullies every monument.

How time slips away

in these Covid-19 days

of enforced isolation.

~

We count the minutes,

hours and days but sadly

it’s just a zero sum game.

If we spent more time

with nature, perhaps we would

come to see more completely.

~

We would surely see

from different perspectives

by spending time with some weeds.

Making a come-back

implies that you were behind:

hard admission for the “best”.

~

 No admission here –

just words from someone who is

asleep at the switch.

We live beneath one

sky. May we join the sun, moon,

and stars. May we too bring light.

~

Into this darkness,

let’s add our luminescence,

dispelling willful blindness.

So, It’s a day late

and likely a dollar short…

sometimes it be like that, though.

~

Always grateful for

your willingness to engage

in this, our poetic play.

May we continue

to work for the justice she

sought when she was among us.

~

“We Shall Overcome”

was never more apropos

than it is right now!

How have we become

busier now, unemployed,

than when working full time jobs?

~

Unemployed, we have

a chance to decide how best

to employ our energy.

If for a moment

our baggage disappears, why

hurry to claim it?

~

That unclaimed baggage,

though out of sight and of mind,

pops back up when least welcomed.

Hours on the road

for a mission aborted

hinders the mood for writing.

~

Mission aborted

after hours on the road?

You have permission to scream.

A simple yes is

not so simple when your mind

overflows with loud protests.

~

Those who say “NO!”

to any protester says

loud and clear, “You don’t matter!”

Under the banner

of political thinking,

some people remain clueless.

~

Banners have a way

of catching the breeze, flapping 

a while, then growing limp.

Hands over hearts, we

pledge allegiance. May we act

in accordance with our words.

~

Indivisible,

with liberty and justice.

Noble sentiments, FOR ALL!

“The mondo’s ready”,

I sent to her in a text.

God know how she’ll finish this!

~

She’ll finish this as

she often does with a brief

observation and some snark.

To whom or what do

you turn for inspiration

in these disquieting times?

~

Simple wood working

quiets the discordant mind

…and makes useful axe handles.

From those we dismiss,

disregard, and disrespect,

should we expect any less?

~

There are those among

us with truly noble hearts

who forgive and give back more.

That strange streak of light

spread across the pond, has it

been there all along? 

~

Streaks come and they go.

Good they don’t last forever,

on pond either great or small.