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Silence and Babble

6/20/2020

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 The shelter-in-place order due to the coronavirus seemed to come on suddenly. One day, all was normal, the next day we were told to stay home, to wear masks, to disinfect constantly. Our lives changed overnight.For some, it was big change: kids home from school, working from home, inability to visit elderly parents. For others, such as myself, it was a minor inconvenience. Life did not change that much. Nevertheless, the change has been felt by all. And it is worldwide. I used to say that the world would be at peace if it had a common enemy, a visit from outer space aliens. Well, we have a common enemy now, but the world is not anywhere nearer to peace. Instead, turmoil has ensued, due to economic downturns, loss of jobs, people on edge. And yet, there have been silver linings in the clouds as well. Families are reconnecting, people are cooking and baking bread, more people are getting outside to take walks instead of using the treadmill at the gym, children are decorating the sidewalks with chalk art. Whether these changes, positive and negative,  will be permanent, or life will return to normal within a year remains to be seen.  
As I experienced the first weeks of the change, I took on the role of observer.  I noted first of all the silence, not altogether unwelcome. I had recently heard the song Sound of Silence and found it deeply moving. So I set about to learn it. And I reverted to being a loner, a familiar role for me and a comfortable one. Sheltering in place is not so hard for loners. Out of this came the poems. 
Many who saw this rainbow in my town last month considered it a hopeful sign. It remains to be seen what lies at the end of the rainbow and when we will know.
Morning Walk

Silent dawn
Mute birds on wire
No cars, no people,
Air is still.

Sky lightens
Birds begin to chirp
A mourning dove coos
Soft car whoosh

Dog walker 
Jogger in the street
We nod at distance
Silently


In the Store

Masked faces
Shop in silence
No speaking
Eyes only


Outside

The air smells so clean
I detect flower scents
I can breathe deeply
If it weren't for this mask


The Mask of Silence

I'll talk to you
But stay six feet away
If you come near
Pull your mask up
Nod, don't talk
Smile with your eyes
Near--and yet far
​In mutual silence.​




        Times Changing

Deadly virus, danger ahead,
Shelter in place, they said.
Stay at home every day,
Do not go out to work or play.

And the people obeyed.

Close all stores and places to eat,
Get take-out for a treat.
Do not drive to the mall,
Distance yourself six feet from all.

And the people heeded the call.

Try not to talk and please don't shout,
Wear a mask when you are out.
It's hard but please do try,
Cede space to others you pass by.

And the people did try.

When people did not run about,
The animals came out.
Turkeys wandered in throng,
Mockingbird sang its morning song,

And the people, while they walked,
Learned to listen not  talk.
Their cell phones put away,
And for once just enjoyed the day.





 DEADLY VIRUS ENTERS THE COUNTRY
NEWEST INFORMATION ON COVID19
The headlines shout silently on the computer screen

         But I listen to the new predawn silence
          of no traffic, no airplanes.

GOVERNOR TO SPEAK AT NOON
NEW RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE
The newspaper headlines scream on the page

     And I look out the window to watch the jay
     and the squirrel who wait for their peanuts.

ATTEND A ZOOM YOGA CLASS
JOIN US ON ZOOM AT NOON
SPECIAL FREE LECTURE ON ZOOM
 my emails proclaim

    But I ignore these invitations,
      to  write in peace and quiet.

DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT A MASK
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE, DO NOT TALK
Large bold print words on the signs outside stores.

Silent screams, warnings, admonitions, 
            All necessary but....

              I head for the safety of home
     Where silence, peace and normality reign.


In Appreciation

Musicians and artists
Must practice their art.
That is their outlet.
So they display their art
Play their music 
On the street
For all to enjoy
For free.



Loners

Loners know how to be alone,
Are their own best company,
Can entertain themselves
Indefinitely.


​-MW



​
Our Time is out of Joint

Are we running too fast,
Doing too many things,
Carrying the many burdens,
Laboring under too many expectations?
The answer is yes!

Do we crave too much,
Amass too many debts,
Accumulate too much dross,
Still ourselves with pills, pot and drink?
The answer is yes!

Is our electronics world an oasis,
Electronic gadgetry needed respite?
Is communication now more bond,
Has community become more intimate?
The answer is no!

Has freewheeling capitalism been a boon?
Financiers and borrowers joined in a rush for wealth
A financial bubble become a financial blister,
Banks glossed ranks and credit became pious hope.
And the gap between wealthy and poor was left wider than ever.

While we're over preoccupied,
Climbing too many slippery ladders,
Wallowing in awe and consternation,
Foreign policy goes its hectic way.
A pity!

Our time is surely out of joint,
Individuals have become a befuddled lot
And America has lost its moral ballast.
All is boiling, all is roiling!
How much longer before a new dawn?

​-JM

Our Manic American World

We are a now society,
An ever more society,
A now and more and more
And nothing else society.

We buy and buy,
Waste and waste,
Discard, toss out,
Think nothing of it.

It's a madhouse,
We're its inmates,
Are not bothered,
Don't seem to care.

It's a roller coaster,
A merry-go-round
Whirling wildly
Out of control.

It's a bubble
And will burst
As all bubbles
Always do.

But don't despair,
All is not hopeless,
Don't rush off, 
All is not lost.
Stop, look and listen,
Tarry and think.

Yes, ours is an orgy
Of entrenched excesses,
All may appear quite helpless
But it's not beyond repair.

Capitalism must be recast,
Individualism moderated,
Materialism depassioned,
Consumerism curbed!

That's surely no mean challenge
And beyond the reach of many,
But when naught is tried
Naught is ever gained. 

My hope it is
That e'er long,
Serious reflection 
Moral discipline
Human decency
And common sense
Will prevail
In a change,
The re-evaluations of our values
Long overdue.
If this is so, 
America will 
Again find
Its moral moorings
And a moral balanced life,
Become a model
Not remain a blight.
An opportunity!
Let's hope!

​-JM

Píccola and JM know how to shelter in place!
Picture
Rub my tummy please
Picture
Sheltering in place as always. Gardening, writing epigrams, rubbing the dog's belly.


Thoughts for the Day by JM

​Silence can be more eloquent than words.

Shouters are heard but not heeded.

​Kind words and helping hand praise and respect command.

Silence is very telling.

To talk too much is to say too little.

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Photos used under Creative Commons from Eric Kilby, tracie7779, USFWS Mountain Prairie, Denis Bourez, jinxmcc, Japanese beauty, voyager2014, Kirt Edblom, nevil zaveri (thank you for 15+M views:), kennethkonica, FaceMePLS, Marianne Serra, irio.jyske, 270862, NASA Hubble, steviep187, Keith Laverack, corsi photo, Howard J Duncan, Luna sin estrellas, Lynda W1, bvi4092, John Brighenti, Kecko, Cambridge Cat, Alexxx1979, ashwin kumar, vastateparksstaff, Marian Elizabeth May, sussexbirder, ell brown, David Meurin, Rod Raglin, Swallowtail Garden Seeds, A_Peach, timo_w2s, acryptozoo, NASA Hubble