Things You Didn’t Want to Hear in March

 Things You Didn’t Want to Hear in March

We’ve locked down California. And Illinois. And New York.

Others pending.

The stock market takes another plunge. And another.

Small business suffers. Unemployment soars.

Bars and restaurants close. And schools, till who knows when.

Grocery lines are long, and shelves are empty when you go.

The old and infirm should shelter in place. 

(They say that includes me.)

The number of infections is on the rise. Here, there, everywhere.

Italy is paralyzed and warns that we will follow.

There are no tests available—or not enough. A vaccine will take a year or two.

Masks do not prevent infection OR masks do prevent infection, but we haven’t any.

Hospitals lack capacity to handle this pandemic. Beds, doctors, nurses. Ventilators.

Wash your hands. Wipe everything down. Don’t touch anything.

Or anyone.

The president called this a hoax; 

now, it’s real, but 'nothing to worry about'.

As the economy crumbles and citizens rush to buy more guns,

no one knows when this will end; no one has the answers.

And... the worst is yet to come.