Poems from Molecular Distortion
by Gary Beck
Unrestricted
People are going outdoors.
Most are still wearing masks,
but many arent.
Theyre still not distancing
which makes me paranoid
because I cant demand:
are you vaccinated?
So what am I to do?
I must go out to shop
and other errands
that put me in close touch
with possible carriers.
Im getting angry
and think Ill carry
my compact Beretta,
but only use it
if they get too close.
The New Way
We have been evolved
to live in cities,
leaving behind
farms and rural towns,
clustered together
yet kept far apart
by urban ethos:
Do not know your neighbor.
This is the reality
for most of us,
whether we like it or not.
We escape the cities
in brief vacations
determined by wealth.
We are so separated
we cannot unite
for protection, survival.
The Lords of Profit
reside elsewhere
and come to the cities
for business, pleasure
and are not vulnerable
like the rest of us.
Unreliable Weather
My next door neighbor,
a genial old man,
confides in me when we meet:
Its gotten warm outside.
Im going out today
with just a light jacket,
but I wont go too far
because you never know
when global warming
will change the weather
and my fragile body
cant take the cold anymore.
Delivery
In ancient times
it could take a year,
to get news,
so we didnt worry much,
since it didnt change things.
In medieval times
it could take months
to find out
if the raiding party
was successful.
In the early 1800s
it could take weeks
to get the peace treaty
that ended the war
we were still fighting.
Science moved faster and faster,
telegraph, telephone,
invention after invention
bringing us news
while it was happening.
We saw men walk on the moon,
though some folk claimed
it didnt happen
and what we saw
was made in a movie studio.
I dont think we believed
The Vietnam War was fake
that we watched day and night,
death and destruction
in living color.
We get so much tv news
the stations have an agenda
and its harder to tell
fake news from real news
from what were seeing.
Devotion
Brand loyalty,
an ancient tradition,
maintained reliability
of vital products.
Og got his spear
From Gooma.
Attila got his horses
from Emmed Zur,
the horse lord.
Medicis got their poison
from their favorite apothecary.
For thousands of years
inquisitors contracted
for hand made
or one on one services.
The Industrial Revolution
began the downfall
of most craftmanship.
Machines didnt do a better job,
but they produced en masse
for growing populations.
Advertising began,
with word of mouth,
grew to illustrations
in catalogs, newspapers.
An unknown radio voice
told us to buy something
and we imagined
what an item looked,
smelled, or tasted like,
as we awaited arrival.
Television altered
how we were motivated
with visual images
of what we should desire,
beautifully presented
to whet our appetite
for dazzling products,
affordable for most,
enticing credit line
for those of limited means.
And while were told what to buy
were induced to stay home
and make purchases online,
gratification instant
for games, entertainment, shopping,
delivery soon after
reducing the need
to go outdoors,
eradicate resistance,
to see whats happening
in the wider world.
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