Taking Our Chances
We drive fast cars,
We cross the street,
We ski in cold,
We hike in heat.
We fly in planes,
We eat fried food,
We smoke and vape
And call it good.
We burn our skin
To look robust,
We sleep with strangers
Out of lust.
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We think we are
Invincible.
Facts leave us un-
Convincible.
In every season
We rely
On hope that most
Of us won’t die.
We ride the markets
Up and down,
We wear our masks
(Or not) ’round town.
And if someone
Should cough or sneeze,
We look around,
We test the breeze.
We take our children
To the store
So they can run
And play some more.
And if, by chance,
Things go awry,
We blame the
Government, and cry,
“You didn’t warn
Us soon enough!
Restrictions you’ve
Imposed are tough!”
“We want our money!
Need our beer!
If not, we’ll vote
You out of here!”
“Blame China, voters!”
Leaders cry.
“Look! Wonder drugs!
Here, have a try.”
New cases seem to
Level off,
But they don’t know
Because your cough
Could mean a lot
Of different things,
From allergies
To spicy wings.
Old Pogo’s words
Define the fuss:
“We’ve met the enemy –
He is us.”
Richard Uhrlaub is an author and poet who lives in Lakewood.