Omicron Jam

[stilltrucking]

ennui is no word for what covid means for me
schizophrenia another word that comes to mind

and this a backdrop to coping with the imparities' of being a 81 year old male obese smoker
the upside is I don't lose any sleep over the always collapsing world situation
consequential to waking up tomorrow in a pile of smoke and ash
coffee nicotine ö8 gummies and studio eight I will make through this freezing night

[stilltrucking]

crutches i don't need any of it
snares and delusions
why do I hasten my death so near the end of it?
What's my hurry, time and fear
how will I waste what's left of eternity?
covid 19 jam where I GO to spill my guts
crashing on covid jam
dumping my core
rebooting
a retreat to the sanctity of a text box
some kind of cure for the seventh solitude
The Passion for G_d
thanks

[saw]

out in the woods alone for the most part
but I did see a couple of intrepid wanderers
one guy with walking sticks in each hand
seemed to be my age, he stopped a lot to study things
saw a couple of dogwalkers, of course in the woods
they are usually off the leash, only got nipped one time
by a dog that the owner claimed, That was the first time that ever happened

I said Bullshit
do you expect me to believe that this dog that attacked me
has never shown any signs of aggression....
I was a mailman !
I told the woman to take off his dog tags and show me when
he had his last rabies shot, and she reluctantly did so
and I said , Look Lady...I'm usually very cool with dogs off the leash
but your dog should never be unleashed again
I hope this little encounter has opened your eyes

but she cursed beneath her breath as if I were the Asshole

[judih]

"my little long-toothed tiger?
he wouldn't hurt a flea"
as i extract his teeth from my knee

[sasha]

out in the woods alone for the most part
but I did see a couple of intrepid wanderers
one guy with walking sticks in each hand
seemed to be my age, he stopped a lot to study things
saw a couple of dogwalkers, of course in the woods
they are usually off the leash, only got nipped one time
by a dog that the owner claimed, That was the first time that ever happened

I said Bullshit
do you expect me to believe that this dog that attacked me
has never shown any signs of aggression....
I was a mailman !
I told the woman to take off his dog tags and show me when
he had his last rabies shot, and she reluctantly did so
and I said , Look Lady...I'm usually very cool with dogs off the leash
but your dog should never be unleashed again
I hope this little encounter has opened your eyes

but she cursed beneath her breath as if I were the Asshole

I thought immediately of something all too similar that happened to me many years ago - I won't hijack this thread by posting it here, but it's over in Stories & Essays: viewtopic.php?f=98&t=33374#p216290

[stilltrucking]

He don't bite and I don't kick

The mailman always been my heros
I worked for the 2000 us census had to drive around shenandoah valley interviewing and or dropping off forms
after the census they called me back asked me did I want to go contact the people who refused did not return forms..When they told me I would be accompanied by an armed deputy...I uh wimped out

[sasha]

this new reality
just doesn't seem real
I mean
out here by myself
in the woods
omicron just seems
far away
somebody else's demon
another story for Action News
disaster porn
(ain't it awful?)
the hook
to sell used cars
or Viagra
or the latest color of lip gloss
I dunno
maybe I'm just tired
been listening too long to the shouting
the screams of outrage
the whining about the tyranny
of public good
of giving enough of a shit
about others
to observe simple guidelines
I guess common sense
isn't all that common

[judih]

every day, kids missing from school
teachers marching hallways, maskless
where's your mask, i ask
oh, over there, on my desk
one after another, their trust in fate
teachers gifted with omicron

[saw]

my daughter has a compromised immune system
so I come at Omicron differently that some
where as I hear some fool barking that he is unafraid of dying
without a second thought about my beautiful daughter
it's a selfish thing to do
we all of course have to access our own risk
but we also have a responsibility to protecting the vulnerable
and each of us have different concerns
and live in so many unique places in the world
but in the city, where people are on top of each other
your first responsibility should be to make sure
you don't infect someone that is counting on you
to do the right thing, and protect them
it's all very simple.......wear your mask
til we hear the
All Clear bell from the experts
from the people that have made this their life's work
Not from politicians worried about the upcoming elections
Not from the business community
and certainly Not from people that are feeling uncomfortable
that this is taking too long
Go back, read about the 1918 epidemic
Many don't know, there was actually a fourth wave that killed
of lot of folks that relaxed
rarely mentioned, but true
we will all get though this with patience and caring for others

[stilltrucking]

"Your real gift of life is patience" —mtmynd

[saw]

The grip of the pandemic
lingers in the air like a putrid belch
and we must search out for the joy
we once assumed would be easy to obtain
The rules changed
and everyone suddenly had a new part
to play in the play about an intrusive virus
The Omnipotent Omicron
off Broadway, on your street
working it's deceptive maneuvering
as we sleep
and as we walk, and try to find laughter
it ain't E Z
searching for good times in a plague
but our resilience has risen like cream
to the top of our relationships
and we make sure others are OK
we try to become selfless despite the nutty right
who only thinks about the impact on them
and we wait for the All Clear
we can do this
the Woods seems safe
and you don't need to take a long journey
to go hug a tree

[saw]

seven hours sleep
but still a bit foggy
just outside is this blanket
of low hanging dense rain-filled clouds
it obscures the vision
and apparently my mind as well
as I start to see what's possible
the days have been generally foggier
since my mini strokes, I get confused
I make mistakes
typing and don't see them until later
use bad grammar, misspell words I know
a sentence may have some words out order
it's a challenge I accept
maybe I'll muddle thru this ok
maybe I can repair my brain with supplements
and hiking and painting
don't have another plan really
greet each day with gratitude
love the ones in my circle
tell people how I feel, and what's going on with me
maybe I will hear better one day too
but no one except me believes that
and maybe that's all it takes is one believer
hey, you never know

[Arcadia]

do you Omicron accept my maybe thanks?
90% massive efective contagiousness at Christmas dinner yeah...
(blurry end of 2021)
tired of the whole thing after the episode (maybe it's a way too kind to say it..)
but January happily felt like a month out of (this) times

[saw]

some believe this is the new way
always worrying about the next strain
but I don't think that is a good idea so much
I mean we have to change some habits to remain safe
but there are ways to enrich yourself even today
it's ok to be frustrated
more that OK.....in some cases the loss is unimaginable
but the survivors are always the one that can adapt
And Putin !
Well, now he is even more scary that Covid 19
but as I think this morning of Covid 19, just the name
with that nineteen tells us how long we have been fighting
this is 22
we will always be reminded by that damn 19
and how many crises can we focus on before going insane
I don't know
but distraction is a must
it's not a cop out
it's a strategy
to stay healthy
going to the woods doesn't tell anyone ,I don't care
it makes me stronger
and painting...Artwork
isn't a bad thing to do
Artists always lead the way
don't get me wrong
I do not mean to minimize the day
I do not make lightly of our current world
but I also wont be lulled into paralysis

[saw]

masks are coming off
everywhere I go, and i still believe
the reason is, "I'm pretty sure I won't get it"
what else could it mean
I wear my mask to help protect the vulnerable
it's not much of a sacrifice
I don't go indoors much any more, just
for groceries and prescriptions.
Certain things are out for me.
bars, movies, music venues.....so for me
it's EZ
I would like to go duckpin bowling again
it was my one night out
It's this crazy little slice of americana
all these disparate characters met every wednesday
and me and my team had been together for 15 years
We started out as The Pinheads
but when that establishment closed its doors for good
and we moved to a new 'House" ,as they say
there was already a team called The Pinheads, so
we became The Lucky Strikes....like the cigarettes'
lots of laughs and a few beers ....once a week
haven't been to those lanes in 2 and a half years
It's like losing an old friend
who knows, maybe this fall we will all feel safe enough
but I wonder if I will remember how to do it
and if people will accept my handicaps ....I wonder
if I can do it....like riding a bike....as they say....hmmmmm
Well, I'd damn sure like to try