Poems from Molecular Distortion
by Gary Beck

 

Unrestricted

 

People are going outdoors.

Most are still wearing masks,

but many aren’t.

They’re still not distancing

which makes me paranoid

because I can’t demand:

‘are you vaccinated?’

So what am I to do?

I must go out to shop

and other errands

that put me in close touch

with possible carriers.

I’m getting angry

and think I’ll carry

my compact Beretta,

but only use it

if they get too close.

 

 

 

 

 

The New Way

 

We have been evolved

to live in cities,

leaving behind

farms and rural towns,

clustered together

yet kept far apart

by urban ethos:

‘Do not know your neighbor’.

This is the reality

for most of us,

whether we like it or not.

We escape the cities

in brief vacations

determined by wealth.

We are so separated

we cannot unite

for protection, survival.

The Lords of Profit

reside elsewhere

and come to the cities

for business, pleasure

and are not vulnerable

like the rest of us.

 

 

 

 

 

Unreliable Weather

 

My next door neighbor,

a genial old man,

confides in me when we meet:

‘It’s gotten warm outside.

I’m going out today

with just a light jacket,

but I won’t go too far

because you never know

when global warming

will change the weather

and my fragile body

can’t take the cold anymore’.

 

 

 

 

 

Delivery

 

In ancient times

it could take a year,

to get news,

so we didn’t worry much,

since it didn’t change things.

 

In medieval times

it could take months

to find out

if the raiding party

was successful.

 

In the early 1800’s

it could take weeks

to get the peace treaty

that ended the war

we were still fighting.

 

Science moved faster and faster,

telegraph, telephone,

invention after invention

bringing us news

while it was happening.

 

We saw men walk on the moon,

though some folk claimed

it didn’t happen

and what we saw

was made in a movie studio.

 

I don’t think we believed

The Vietnam War was fake

that we watched day and night,

death and destruction

in living color.

 

We get so much tv news

the stations have an agenda

and it’s harder to tell

fake news from real news

from what we’re seeing.

 

 

 

 

 

Devotion

 

Brand loyalty,

an ancient tradition,

maintained reliability

of vital products.

Og got his spear

From Gooma.

Attila got his horses

from Emmed Zur,

the horse lord.

Medicis got their poison

from their favorite apothecary.

 

For thousands of years

inquisitors contracted

for hand made

or one on one services.

The Industrial Revolution

began the downfall

of most craftmanship.

Machines didn’t do a better job,

but they produced en masse

for growing populations.

 

Advertising began,

with word of mouth,

grew to illustrations

in catalogs, newspapers.

An unknown radio voice

told us to buy something

and we imagined

what an item looked,

smelled, or tasted like,

as we awaited arrival.

 

Television altered

how we were motivated

with visual images

of what we should desire,

beautifully presented

to whet our appetite

for dazzling products,

affordable for most,

enticing credit line

for those of limited means.

 

 

And while we’re told what to buy

we’re induced to stay home

and make purchases online,

gratification instant

for games, entertainment, shopping,

delivery soon after

reducing the need

to go outdoors,

eradicate resistance,

to see what’s happening

in the wider world.

 

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