Not Poetry. Quatrain Verse in English & Swedish. Dagsverser. On the Mundane & the Arcane.
He carries on a lot
about urban blight
of societal rot
things not being right
While yearning for action
still without fail every day
he keeps losing traction
bogged down in most mundane fray
He digresses, slides back deplumed
self-centered, in ill humor
into role for which he’d been groomed:
The entitled consumer
who is unable to rein in his stride
though can’t be said he seriously tried
What passes for discourse
in today’s society:
Reverberation coarse
in purloined propriety
Wear our feelings on the sleeve
we do not know subtle
not known to hold back on peeve
brusque in our rebuttal
But even when helpful & kind to confront
must still know not to take personal affront
From inconvenience
(as we lack calm resilience)
do grant us lenience!
Let’s rely on own brilliance!
Amidst all impertinent tasks
we’re joined strong in resistance
to those ‘steam up my glasses’ masks
and keeping 6 ft distance!
Those demands imposed on us like blitzkrieg!
Honor our fatigue! Unfair the intrigue!
“Has been a stretch
all in vain”
stated the wretch
when tried feign:
Been straightening his back
but then he walks like strutting
although “you’re too short” flak
does at times feel off-putting
Still what if in a next Life and all
he’ll grow gangling as Charles de Gaulle?
Thus he fears as well rebirth too tall
so best try enjoy short & small?
As well in the struggle to be resolute
isn’t he also coming up short? Absolute!
Our emotion-based ‘reasoning’
works only fleetingly well
while redolent as seasoning
may sound a nation’s death knell
While distracted by our own schlock
absorbed in state affective
we won’t hear Reality knock
thus losing all perspective
We can’t be bothered to dissect
what is cause & what is effect
Lunatic lies unending
narrative paths twisted
both facts & logic bending
evasions enlisted
Do we prefer lies outrageous
to mere reality obstruction?
In these troubled times contagious
which do offer foremost distraction?
Hard to see a happy ending
to such abomination
Society’s fabric rending
soon falls ‘civilization’!
Meantime more ‘fun’ a neo-fascist autocrat
than some smart, informed, honest, social democrat
Q: “Why are you not putting on a mask?”
A: “I’m not culpable for your health
I’m self-reliant, so do not ask
also won’t be blamed for my wealth!”
If this is how some of us are
how did we stray so deep & far?
Q: “Still thinking we’re better than this?”
A: “We’re no effete Swedes or feeble French
so, World, come give U.S. a kiss!”
(albeit amidst conceited stench)
Thus we keep up the narrative:
Pretending to empathize
high-handed & declarative
averting our empty eyes
Masklessness leaves the Covid threat cowardly vague
while masked have we not faced that we’re all in a plague?
In my erstwhile fast life bested
was constantly contested
Decades since my life crested
still feel oddly untested
As path ahead darkens congested
the present by my past infested
Armored in dressed-for-success clothes
limbering our lashing tongue
cleansed out our bargain-sniffing nose:
Ready reach for the next rung!
Sharpened our elbows
we’re ready to impose
if need be bulldoze
in order to foreclose
Brashly we sally, again, out the door
never mind still clueless of what’s the score
Yes, too much to ask:
Don’t interfere
we won’t wear a mask
too cavalier!
Then haven’t we sacked
any & all fact?
With all lies stacked
lost all sense & tact?
Facts are too socialist & abstract
won’t let such ungodliness detract!