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July 15, 2020

The Quarantine Chronicles, Day 92


DAY 92: How to Die -- let me count the ways
there's heart disease and cancer,
broken hearts, cancer on the presidency,
suicide and car wrecks (sometimes the same thing)
mass shootings and cop killings -- stay away from
crowded places -- there's domestic accidents
terrorist attacks, choking on steaks, poisonous
snakebites, meteorites and lightning strikes,
being pushed off your balcony by your ex-
and there's COVID-19, the novel corona-
virus, a worldwide pandemic that started
in 2019, that is so big-ass and bad-ass
that it's beaten all others in the ratings
-- The Rapture is here at last, now
we can all go out with a Big Bang
not like my cousin who just got news
that her breast cancer treatment (boring)
will take about 5 years (too long)  -- but that's 
here in Italy, in the USA (being made greater 
by the minute) healthcare is fun, everyone has a gun
so at any time, things get rough
don't get tough, pop one in your mouth
like medicine to avoid the agony of defeat
float into the clouds, angels play harps in skimpy
outfits with no underwear, goblets of 100-proof nectar --
bliss awaits, if you know how
to die --
Non-COVID-ly.

I don't want to die.
I don't want a gun.
I don't want COVID-19.
I don't want to be number one in the ratings.
I don't want heaven.
I don't want to complain.
Please let me remain.
Please help.