How Fast Can We Be Delivered?

6/3/2020:

Today was a day

of loving and living.

7/3/2020:

Another day

of loving and living,

and of learning more about what’s going on and

WHO said what.

10/3/2020

Another day...

New developments

mean that we can’t meet,

that we must distance ourselves, so that we can be safe

from whatever this is.

17/3/2020

Another day

And a “shelter-in-place” is taking effect.

It’s ok, I’m unemployed

anyway.

Wait, but I need

some meat for dinner.

That’s ok, I forgot I had

ramen. No need to rush.

I’ll just stay at home

for now.

23/3/2020

Another day

living a revolution on this planet.

The greatest gifts

are the smiles from

strangers in passing,

my dog, and my wife

as we all hike around

the volcanic region

of land 10 million years

before ours.

7/4/2020

Smiles no longer pass in front of me.

Mouths are masked, and eyes seem

focused, but absent.

9/9/2020

Nature is slowly burning, and all I can do is

watch while I down my sad slop of oat meal.

30/10/2020

Out in Red country. Most people

are not wearing masks. It does

not seem to be a big deal. It’s honestly

kind of nice, but we still keep ours

on. Flags decorate the fronts of

farms, saying “TRUMP 2020

NO MORE BULLSHIT.”

Where’s our wine?

15/11/2020

“Around the world

much more than a pandemic is happening.

There is also an ‘infodemic.’”

Apart of me finds that to be a

stupid term, made from a trendy urge.

A part of me finds it to be true,

sadly. But to me, no news is good

news. Information is reported

ravenously, like

a perfunctory punch.

20/11/2020

Another day

in an infodemic

and I am reminded of Jorie Graham

when she asked, “How fast can we be delivered?” The PLOS answers

“Accelerated and rushed in half the usual time.”