Not Poetry. Quatrain Verse in English & Swedish. Dagsverser. On the Mundane & the Arcane.
Who would unprompted share
one’s fact-grounded opinions
let heart & mind laid bare
to cliché-spouting minions?
Would that not be to squander
what is for each quintessential
in a frivolous yonder
tangential to life essential?
Unless someone appears sincerely to ask
might we not prefer in a limelight to bask
If we want to get along
mouth only the mundane
and if we want to belong
stray not in the arcane!
Let others spout their opinion
and just pretend to listen
Act the sycophantic minion
smile, best if our eyes glisten
Avoid these words to get along:
‘ascetic’ & ‘poetic’
Apply in order to belong:
‘athletic’ & ‘cosmetic’
Voice only the prosaic
like ‘we get warm by burning coal’
avoid ‘photovoltaic’
Above all do not bare our soul!
Thus we’ll evade some risk & strife
but will we lead a worthwhile life?
Amidst proficiency flagging
easy slide in to anxiety
that shall blindly keep on nagging
in profligacy & piety
But able to write
albeit found as trite
blessed daily rite
Don’t worry won’t recite
while I’ve no urge to abscond
to write righteous rhymes Beyond
I regularly pedal up a steep, narrow, winding, two-way, two-lane road occasionally ‘causing’ drivers to wait due to oncoming traffic before passing me. Judging from some cars ‘riding my rear fender’ & the rare occasional driver’s remark or gesture perhaps I’m viewed by some drivers as an annoying traffic impediment? Others may perhaps be capable of ‘feeling my pain’ (here in aging legs & lungs), while by most ignored? So goes our human experience at large.
One irate driver yelling
“You’re obstructing traffic!”
on mission Cyclist Quelling
then adds gesture graphic
While another in civil quirk
rather cheers my modest pace
by affably calling “Good work!”
with welcomed patience & grace
Thus the human clash goes
between those empathetic
and those in restless throes
sounding off homiletic
Of course up to anyone exposed
to try act safely & stay composed
‘Leaders’ now talk about the Covid-19 struggle as ‘war’. If so – a long overdue change from the gruesome practice throughout history of sending the very young out to fight & die. Fairer now when the old folks at home become the casualties. Still what remains the outrage is how ‘essential’ workers (many poorly paid with few benefits & poorly protected) are sent out to work & die.
In most wars the young
were sent out to perish
most often unsung
or cheered with praise garish
The old folks at home jingoistic
of soldiers horrors euphemistic
Now in the Covid ‘war’
with its surreptitious gore
Lady Justice keeps score
shredding such mythical lore
Now the young live for another day
while the old folks keep dying away
We grind in daily strife absurd
opaque our faith & locus
Reality banned, vision blurred
all jarringly out of focus
We’re distracted by games of fantasy
with noses on screens ubiquitous
sunken in political apathy
to power elite obsequious
As we woefully bray
behind foul a bellwether
aren’t we deserving prey
to perish all together?
As we’re pretending be discreet
while we’re just cowering effete?
As we blew the chance of controlling
the Virus from gaining traction
When copped out on masking, patrolling
Mother Earth took cogent action:
She let the Virus do for its survival
what Humans ought to have done for its own
Failing to learn from our Species revival
we’re left pretending: ‘How could we have known’?
Yet again the Price of Neglect rarely
gets imposed timely but always fairly
If we hide in a comfy niche
we’ll fade attenuated
risking wake up wet in a ditch
pretty humiliated
While mired in same old rut
domesticated
tempting to staying put
stuck obligated
So why grin in stale attire?
Let’s dress to our heart’s desire!
True change is implacable
trade-offs it shall extract
often proves intractable
with long lasting impact
So leap gallantly, gladly
or we’ll forgo Life badly!
before the virus pounced
would we be in ‘house arrests’?
Life as we knew it trounced?
While for scientists problematic
since turned inept & erratic
by boastful meddling trumplematic
while his base cheers on ecstatic!
Of such noble creed & greed
how come ‘leadership’ lackluster?
Why won’t this Virus pay heed
to blaming, bully & bluster?
While humans poorly embrace
uncertainty iniquitous
forced to stoutheartedly face
our misgivings ubiquitous
Whether Covid-19
or Climate Collapse
slow down or turned routine
or raucous relapse
While seldom do few seconds elapse
when we’re spared marketing & wiretaps