America is one big Covid Party
Outside my window, down below
A baby shower is taking place
Tables and tables of people, a DJ, catering
Not a mask in sight, I sigh and pull down the shade
America is hopped up on COVID now, like anything
Else, we are easily addicted, easily fooled, people
Keep thinking kids need their birthday parties, people keep
Thinking family brunch and dinner is fine, people believe
Well if it was not safe it would not be open, when no one
Traces the money, traces the rhetoric, traces the realities
That we live in a culture that hates the following, in order:
Poor people, human life, and science
So, we value COVID party USA because this keeps the money flowing
This keeps the bank going, open the schools, pack the kids in
Ignore teachers writing wills, ignore parents saying wait
Do what you want, it is all about you,
COVID was made for this moment, this nation, this place,
Our people into greed and ego, our leader into not leading
Our politicians on holiday, again, our choices all neoliberal
Of course we are spreading a virus, we always are, we can’t be
Trusted not to, be it consumerism, individualism, be it COVID19
We are exceptional, you bet – believing we are exempt, immune, or that
Somehow there’s no connection between what we do and what happens because of it
Hubris American style
Will knock you out every time
What we do not hoard in terms of who can buy their way out of it
Who can resource their way to health, we throw out
Winning at this virus means winning the virus
Means more chaos, less voting, more shock and awe, you know the kind
More magic tricks, slight sleight of hand, while we focus on the daily feed of
Masks and infection rates, on hot spots and conspiracies –
While we look this way, over there, more and more of the goods are being smuggled out.
©Jenny Justice. All Rights Reserved.
Jenny Justice, Poet. Sociologist. Teacher. Mother. Woman. Author of Love in the Time of Climate Change and Reveal. You can read more of her poetry at Justice Poetic. Sign up for her newsletter here.
Jenny Justice 