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SOCIAL DISTANCING (August Contest)

I take my mask off in my truck
then wipe the sweat off of my mouth
where respiration all got stuck.
These things ain't made for the deep south.

The key is turned and off I go
to where rules and worry fade away,
to where sylvan breezes blow
even on this hot late summer day.

I tune into an oldies station,
put the air setting on high.
My course is set, no hesitation.
Away from town I almost fly.

Dang masks bar viruses as well
as fences keep mosquitoes out.
They do little good as far as I can tell.
( Without them diners would throw me out).

Corona, China, Wuhan.....who cares?
You can call it what you will.
Am I the only one who dares
to think for myself still?

Little kids now schooled at home
no friends just cold computer screen.
No playgrounds on which to roam.
Beats anything I've ever seen.

Don't shake hands when greeting friends.
No crowds allowed out anywhere.
I wonder where this all ends.
Mostly politics I swear.

But OOPS! I almost missed my turn!
Hard braking on a two lane road.
You'd think by now I'd have learned
to not drive with a mind overload.

But now my tires growl on gravel
and trees crowd each roadside ditch.
I don't have much farther to travel.
Anticipation almost makes me twitch.

A couple miles with naught but trees
then I arrive at the pull off
where I park and exit on stiff knees.
I inhale a breath and then I cough.

Not a single house in sight.
No sounds of traffic come to ear.
I trudge to the hilltop then turn right
down to a brook which chuckles clear.

Then I sit against a huge birch tree
where I've spent many hours reminiscencing'
A most splendid place to be.
Now This is my type "social distancing."

Style / type: 
Structured: Western
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Editing stage: 
Contest: 
Content level: 
Not Explicit Content

Comments

I have GOT to stop late night posting...too many dang typos lol. Thanks for your time to read

author comment

as usual about the restfulness and peace of mind that can be obtained by going out to Nature's store. You don't even have to buy anything, Mother Nature's gifts are free. Glad that you have that place to go and relax. I don't have the luxury of a car most of the time, so my place is the patio out back. Still, it's on a really quiet street and nicely protected yard with some huge old Oak and Maple trees, and we do have some wildlife; squirrels, woodchucks and various birds. Whenever I \get through reading one of your poems, I can go out my back door and envision myself at your brook and the Birch tree. Thanks Stan.
~ Gee.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

Perhaps the day will come when you can join me on my back deck and we can talk of all the things gone wrong since we were kids lol. As to that particular birch....It is my intent to visit that one special place at least one more time while I'm still able. I have a deer stand near it which I hope to pass on to a younger hunter

author comment

love that! Hey, if I hit the Lotto... ~ Gee.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

Too lol

author comment

it's difficult to put that in... missed by many, some attempts by others fall short entirely. you set the stage in the first stanza, and keep it going in stanzas 4,5,6. great! I paticularily like the "brook which chuckles clear"

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Raywhitakerblog.wordpress.com
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Here I thought it was just regular speech lol. But although I was born in Memphis, dad who was in the navy got transferred to San Diego for enough years that I grew up speaking In a west coast accent. Moved back to Memphis just in time to start ridding myself of that accent then moved to S.C. at 12 years and after 50 years I Finally speak as I was intended to lol.Thanks for dropping by

author comment

I enjoyed your rhyming as I always do; but do not share your views on corona. In Europe they took it serious immediately and stopped social gatherings, made the mask mandatory on public transport. The rising death toll in America, compared the the slight curve in Europe tells me that taking the virus serious saves lives.

T

The most powerful reaction
of mind on mind
is transference of sight

A death rate of under 1%. Regular flu has a death rate of over 3%. And for This we shut down the world"s economy? The H1N1 flu under obama had a far higher death rate and we stayed open. The difference? The media protected obama by minimizing the problem. But since they hate Trump they are doing everything they can to instill panic. Did you realize there are at least 19 types of covid 19? This includes the common cold. Yet every time ANY of these types is found in an autopsy it is attributed to covid 19.
Now don't get me wrong. The death rate of elderly people and those with serious preexisting conditions is much higher and we should do all we can to protect these folks. A few states have shown us how this can be done without massive economic disruption. We should follow their example.

author comment

I live in Europe and only see american news when I search for it. If some american journalist hate Trump, that has little affect on world news. Since I never heard about Obama's flu case; but since corona is world news I must accept it as serious. This i not parochial and it is not about Trump. The entire world is not in conspiracy against Trump.

You talk about hurting the economy; but I think you have Trump to think for that. Because Europe took it serious and attacked it immediately, their shut down time was short.

T

The most powerful reaction
of mind on mind
is transference of sight

owned by left leaning people who want to see a new world order put in place. Thus they see anybody who puts their own nation first as a threat to their plans. In particular China and their huge media presence is anti Trump because he finally called them on their theft of intellectual properties as well as their unfair trade practices. They want Biden in office because they already own him. But this should not be the place for a political discussion should it? So I'll end by thanking you for the visit .

author comment

the fact that yes, indeed, this is a place for political discussion. What has bothered me and others about the past discussions, is that it gets personal. There-in lies the rub. Keep it civil and to the facts and I don't think anyone will mind. ~ Gee.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

which likely surprises most people lol. But I can't recall ever Not being civil......unless telling the truth isn't civil in this world where PC runs rampant

author comment

There have been others here that haven't and then it bvecame uncivil. LoL
You are ever the gentleman and I respect your opinions even when I don't agree. ~ Gee.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

Yes the present death rate is smaller than the historical influenza death rate... however....

The far reaching, persistent effects AFTER recovery from COVID are included in CDC/WHO concerns. There will be hundreds (more likely thousands) of our American citizens that will suffer from secondary lung diseases, heart diseases, circulatory diseases, and endocrine disease, caused by their exposure to COVID 19. The death rate is only one component of the terrible effect this pandemic. Multiply that by hundreds of thousands in a global population....

Our country cannot graduate enough, or quickly enough, The Respiratory Therapists, Registered Nurses, and Doctors to replace the Respiratory Therapists, Registered Nurses, and Doctors that are manning the trenches in this fight. The rate of burnout and attrition, is appalling to observe. Without these vital “troops” we will lose this fight. And attrition is only one part... there are many, many Therapists, Nurses, and Doctors that have caught COVID because they have chosen a profession that has them give to a greater good than only one’s self.

IMHO, nearly all reported statistics from countries like Russia, China, and many third world countries are vastly under-reported. As such, these country’s reported statistics are the most inaccurate method to compare any sort of statistical analysis to our USA statistics. One only needs to look at a truly international news source like Sky News or the BBC to see the mass graves in Brazil, or the incredible amount of deaths in countries like Rwanda, Iran, and India.

I worry that we Americans are myoptic in our view of the severity and alarming effects of COVID 19. There is little I can do about it, except to write about it in some sort of global manner. I worry that our leadership is lollygagging around under some sort of myth that the science is misleading the public.

We poets are the speakers for our generations.

Sorry about what may be considered a rant... i am passionate about the entire topic.

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Raywhitakerblog.wordpress.com
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You are just telling what you think. And yes there are other effects other than death. But the numbers of these secondary effects are never shown. Is it another .5% or another 10%? And are these secondary effects mainly among those with other conditions or people over 65? They never say. Why not?
As to the burn out and attrition of medical workers. I suspect it might be even greater than is being reported but what is the solution? Well, a vaccine would help. But we are already making record progress in getting a vaccine so what else can be done?
I appreciate your dropping by

author comment

Are (so far) well spread out in the ages of sick people. This, from my readings of the medical reports.... i am retired from Heathcare after 34 years of hospital practice, i am a Respiratory Therapist ( once a RT, always a RT -as the saying goes).

Few numbers so far as to incidence of secondary disease, only that it is definate and observable. This incidence is being seen in the healthcare community. It is early in the course of the Pandemic for any sort of complete statistical analysis.

I continue to hope for the best... and I continue to not like what I see in as much as the patchwork approach towards handling our American health. Effective leadership From the White House would do wonders, instead we have an absence of it. This would be a solution to the attrition of frontline healthcare employees. Given the high motivation of these folk, if they felt supported there would be more optimism.

I need to stop, said likely too much already. However that’s my opinion, and I’m sticking to it.

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Raywhitakerblog.wordpress.com
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a lot of people saying the prez has mishandled this but I don't see specific details of what THEY would have done different. I don't mean stuff like "I'd have helped the health care workers more" I mean statements like I'd have given the workers these following precise tools.

author comment

"I don't see specific details of what THEY would have done different" Perhaps TAKE IT SERIOUS from the beginning and not call it a hoax perpetrated by the democrats to hurt his reelection. Perhaps care about the people, and not say it will disappear like magic, because that would be convenient for him, as he seems only to care about himself.

T

The most powerful reaction
of mind on mind
is transference of sight

He was the one who banned travel from China and was called racist for doing so. Take it seriously? You mean like the Dem leadership who said keep partying in San Fran's China town? Or Deblasio and his gov. who said keep living your life and riding subways (While I send covid patients into our nursing homes).Trump formed a corona virus task force within weeks of first report of virus.You don't like Trump? Well that's your right but don't try to dump blame where it doesn't belong. BTW have you forgotten Trump sending the two hospital ships and erecting the field hospital and all in record times. ?

author comment

Then why did he call it a hoax, if he was taking it serious?

T

The most powerful reaction
of mind on mind
is transference of sight

still being told that it wasn't that bad. What you need to think about is if it was/is worth destroying our economy over a disease which doesn't even come pithing hollering distance of being as bad as the Spanish flu. We practiced basic health safety at that time but otherwise just carried on. Even polio was not considered cause for closing the schools and economy.

author comment

Ok, I will rethink this.

T

The most powerful reaction
of mind on mind
is transference of sight

took millions of lives, largely for two reasons. one: we didn't understand microbiology well, and we didn't take "mitigation" measures quickly enough.

I shudder to think how we Americans would have done if we hadn"t shut down the economy, and required intense medical research, mask wearing, and handwashing. There are 176k dead in our country alone as of today. If we had a cohesive program, like the daily task force briefings in March [why did those stop hmmm...] I am thankful for VP Pense's efforts there.

In fact, wearing masks back then was made into law in many American cities after the 'second wave" took it's deadly toll.

Dr's Fausi, Brett, the CDC doc, and the Surgeon General of the US have never lied to the public. Simply put, the above spoke additions to the knowledge-base as study was done, at great cost to those that died, in this ever evolving situation. It is a new novel corona-virus, no data or curative measures on hand to implement. We are learning as we go along.

Labeling everything that doesn't suit one's ideas as "fake news" or "misinformation", [or possibly detrimental to one's re-election] -and ostracising those that are instrumental to the betterment of the nation is not the way to handle this. if we fought the second world war this way, we would have lost the war. it is precisely the shutting down and patchwork mitigation measures that have only kept COVID 19 from the "pithing hollering distance of being as bad as the Spanish flu," as you said.

There are 176k families that are missing someone at the dinner table in America. Sadness, grief, frowning, no joy for those folk left behind.

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Raywhitakerblog.wordpress.com
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That's an easy one. They were stopped for 2 reasons !. The media had started using them as a means to gain political leverage and 2. while doing this they were criticizing Trump for being there.Fausi... now here's a real piece of work. First he said anybody wearing masks was wasting their time because only medical workers needed them. Then he decided everybody should wear them. The WE in shutting the economy down is spelled Trump who was following Faici and Birk recommended he do it ....for 4 weeks to "flatten the curve". So Trump asked the govs to do so (Trump doesn't have the power to do so on his own). Then it became 6 weeks and then another month or so. Now the media and Fauci are pushing for until we have a vaccine. I expect once we get the vaccine they will then say until everybody is vaccinated.
Now exactly Who ordered the FDA to fast track the vaccines? Why that would be Trump. Who threatened the use of presidential power if industry didn't switch to making ventilators? That would be Trump.
But you are right to an extent. This virus is a learn as you go proposition but it seems the dems(who have done almost nothing) want to blame Trump for everything including The Chinese lying about it and covering it up from the start (You know, the Chinese which are Biden's buddies).
Now those who are fighting for the betterment of the nation.....Do you mean Pelosi and her drew who can't even be bothered to be in session in order to pass needed legislation because they want it to include evert pork project they can imagine? You might ask yourself how many would now be dead if Trump had not closed down traffic from Chine, or had not instigated the rapid manufacturing of ventilators.
Trump would do even more if the radical wing of the dem party would let him but they refuse. They would rather see us suffer than hand Trump any kind of win

author comment

I do definitely enjoy you poem, have read and re-read it.

I do not think in terms of political justifications.for the handling of the COVID calamity, altho I can see why one that is polarized into “my way or the highway” might think i do.

My posts are about pointing out that the logic failures of not recognizing the evolving science from the medical community ... these are destroying the focus of getting over the pandemic calamity. Only that. I do fault government for a lack of cohesion in handling American health during this time.

The folks I maintain that are instrumental to the ongoing effort are not politicians from any side. Those are the Respiratory Therapists, Registered Nurses, X-Ray techs, Physical Therapists, and Doctors that are in the trenches.

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Raywhitakerblog.wordpress.com
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Yes the politicians have turned this biologic attack into a political thing. The left screams blame Trump and the right hollers at dems for doing so. I'm pleased you enjoyed this unexpectedly controversial poem and I hope to see you on future poems

author comment
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