Hasta La Basta, Baby

Hasta la Basta, Baby

Keep those six feet,

    Seis pies,

    Deux metres,

    Xiāngjù liù yīngchǐ,

      Not enough.

Follow arrows on floor,

      Not enough.

I don’t know how much longer I can hold this

Abandon parents:

    In hospitals,

    Old age facilities,

    In hospices, 

    Not enough. 

Close businesses,

      Not enough. 

Wear masks always,

      Not enough. 

Close schools,

      Not enough.

Come with me if you want to live

Cancel rites:

        Graduations,

    Weddings,

    Lasts and finals,

      Not enough. 

Fight illness solo,

      Not enough. 

Martyr essentials:

    Nurses and MDs

    Police and EMTs,

    Home Depot clerks,

      Not enough. 

You are terminated

Witness death, 

    Friends of friends

    Families’ families,

    On “Breaking News,”

      Not enough.

Die of plague,

    Not enough.

Die alone,

    Cancer,

    Infection,

    Falling off a ladder,

    Broken heart.

      Not…

Surrender

    Faith to fear,

    Love to life,

    Self to state.

      …Enough. 

 

Now you’re getting somewhere. 

I’ll be back

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