“A poem is the very image of life expressed in its eternal truth.”
Percy Bysshe Shelley

Friday, May 29, 2020

What Still Works and Does Not




This bleak pandemic,
unsettling and quite deadly,
claims some positives.


Power grids prevail.
So do phones, internet, mail,
police and fire crews.


For those who can pay,
food supplies mostly arrive,
disruptions short-lived.


With dedication,
medical infrastructure
holds up though tested.


Village in action,
volunteers emerge to help
those needing support.


Despite achieving
moderate integrity,
system faults persist.


Widespread suffering
from lost jobs, lives, and routines
masks inequities.


The plea to expunge
stubborn inequalities
begs for attention.


Fairness when absent
imperils group long-term strength,
thwarting full promise.



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