Monday, February 8, 2021

Kiss of Death



painting by Pablo Picasso

 Kiss of Death


“Death that hath suck’d the honey of thy breath

hath no power yet upon thy beauty.”

--William Shakespeare.


The Pandemic

          has forced us

                 into a gulag.

                           confinement,

                           isolation,

                           deprivation.

                           spider holes,

feeling like          incarceration.


Even

our life partners

are wary

of any real

embrace.


We

are living

the Plague Years.


Freezer car

morgues

fill up

hospital

parking garages.


Now

vaccines

produce

smiles.




Glenn Buttkus


Quadrille


Posted over at  d'Verse Poet's Pub

15 comments:

Merril D. Smith said...

You are so right about the vaccines producing smiles,Glenn. I'm eager to get mine someday. We are living in a very strange world right now.

The Picasso is a perfect touch.

brudberg said...

I hope the vaccines may stop the deaths... but that depends on it being distributed to the most vulnerable first... there are so many who want to be first in that line.

Ingrid said...

A dark poem for dark times but with a hopeful ending, which we can hopefully all enjoy!

JadeLi said...

It's good to know the vaccinated are smiling and it does lighten the mood for those of us still waiting,but it feels like a long time before we're paroled from this imprisonment. Right now it feels like it will be forever.

Linda Lee Lyberg said...

It's so strange these times we live in and you captured it perfectly Glenn.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

The Picasso is such a perfect accompaniment to this quadrille, Glenn. I love the tone here that portrays the seriousness of the pandemic all the while instilling hope. I long for the day when everyone will be able to enjoy embraces. 💝

indybev said...

I think. when this has all ended, we will have a new appreciation of the simple handshake and friendly embrace.

Ron. Lavalette said...

I'm waving at you through my pixelscreen, Mr B, thinking that the day will come I might be able to shake your hand. You capture these anti-embraceable times well.

Helen said...

First dose down, second next week .... yes I am smiling. Stay well, Glenn!

Poetry for Healing said...

Yes, its like a we are living in a dystopian world. Wonderful write Glenn

ben Alexander said...

I worry that vaccines do not suffice - in Israel, we're doing well with vaccination, but infection rates and daily death rates are still high.

Well written, Glenn.

-David

Kim M. Russell said...

Pandemic embrace is a perfect oxymoron to describe our current situation, Glenn. One consolation, I don’t have to go out in the snow! I'm still waiting for my vaccination, but I'm smiling - most of the time.

Jane Dougherty said...

Yet the vaccine won't give us immunity. Our lifestyles are going to change for the foreseeable future.

Ken Gierke said...

It's been a long road.

lillianthehomepoet.wordpress.com said...

We are living the plague years. POWERFUL statement!

Apologies for the late reading. I was glued to the television, old debater from high school and university days that I am....to the impeachment trial from the moment it began until it ended. Watched every minute. Found myself fascinated and appalled at the same time by the amazing chain of evidence presented by the house managers...their timeline, their seamless presentation to present a damning case. Found myself yelling at the defense attorneys sometimes, from my living room chair. Disappointed in the final verdict....but thankful for the seven Republicans who voted their conscience....and grateful this is all down on the record for the annals of history.