Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, but it’s going to look a little bit different this year. Like many, we’ve decided to not do an in-person meal with my family, opting instead to exchange food with my mom.
Continue readingpandemic
Wearing my Mask (a poem)
I don’t mind wearing a mask, do you?
It’s a symbol of safety, respect for others
our brothers + sisters living in this crazy world
boys + girls just wanting peace
something to eat
shelter from the storm
born in this age of COVID + conflict –
we rest in our bubbles, away from the troubles
I smile at you behind my mask
you see my eyes bright, hopeful
you know I love you.
(Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash)
Coping with Uncertainty
We’re living in dangerous times. Some people (like my girlfriend) seem to be able to cope with it better than me. For me, though, a lot of the things going on in the world have me feeling very on edge.
Continue readingBook Review: The Plague by Albert Camus
I have a (slight) problem with going on book-buying binges. When I feel anxious, sometimes I buy a book. I’ve reined in this annoying tendency recently to cut expenses. But when the pandemic hit in early March, I saw an essay about Albert Camus’ novel, The Plague, and knew I immediately had to read it.
Continue readingKeeping the Faith (a poem)
Garbage piles up on street corners, you can smell it
everywhere you go – a trash crisis, another effect
of the pandemic, giving the town an apocalyptic feel
as we deal with a failing economy, killer virus,
foreboding sense that we’re plunging into an abyss –
but excuse me, miss, we’re resilient, us humans,
even if rubbish surrounds us and the president astounds us,
we find a way to keep the faith.
Impending Doom (a poem)
Where do those neighbors get their money?
They’re up late on weeknights, drinking beer,
playing games in the street – the young woman
has glazed eyes, she’s always stoned;
the boyfriend doesn’t have a care
in the world, in a world
where so many are dying
and a feeling of impending doom
clutches us by the throat.
(Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash)
Making Memories (a poem)
Heavy boxes stacked in the bedroom,
you’re moving again, amid the pandemic.
We’ll see another part of Philly, add to
the memories we’ve made – even if we’ll
be wearing masks and hunkering down.
We’ll find a new coffee shop, we’ll walk new
streets, taking pictures every so often
that’ll be in a book next year that celebrates
our time together.
Adjusting to the ‘New Normal’
Here we are, nearly four months into the pandemic. The whole thing has been a very strange experience, for all us. It’s been a shared experience across the planet, though some countries have managed it better than others. I’m learning that the ability to adapt is so important.
Continue readingPandemic Nothingness (a poem)
There’s unreality in this isolation –
survivalists buy ammo, preparing for what?
In ancient times, this was an act of God –
a scourge caused by our sinfulness,
we’d bow at altars and beg for forgiveness.
Today, we fear nothingness.
Continue readingMy book review of ‘The Plague’ is published!
About a month ago, I posted a review of The Plague by Albert Camus. It’s now been published in Bewildering Stories, along with an accompanying review by Don Webb, the website’s managing editor.
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