Through the broken glass

You have grown tired of sickness

All the news, all the fake news and

Graphs spinning in fractal mazes

You want to sit with friends

Say hi to strangers

Enjoy music and poetry in a crowded room

You want to attend workshops in person

See peoples’ gears grind as they respond to prompts

Wander aimlessly through used bookstores

You are tired of fist bumps

Sitting outdoors in the heat at restaurants

Having the wrong groceries delivered to your door

You want to just be you, again

See unmasked chins, noses and smiles without

Thinking they are stupid and selfish

And just when you think you can’t take anymore

A friend comes down with COVID and

You call to see if they need anything

You make small talk so they know

You can come by with coffee or tea and

They didn’t fall down a rabbit hole

You tell them the Red Queen

Will not chop off their head

The Mad Hatter is a just another QAnon lunatic

They don’t need to subscribe to Alice’s personal webcam or

Send a donation to the Cheshire Cat

That sits in a tree by the clubhouse door

Smiling that toothy grin

He refuses to cover with a mask, because

He wants to run for president in 2024 and

You tell yourself

You must be…you will be strong

So no one has to think they are alone

9-10-21