Poetry by Ron Pickett

THE GOLDEN AGE Did I miss it? No, I was there – I loved it! Stuff was there when you wanted it. Shelves were full and that was normal. Workers were there when they promised. Fuel was cheap – and available. Solar was growing and getting cheaper. I know it now I missed it then. Stocks were up, dips were for buying. 401k and IRA were fat and getting fatter. New stuff kept coming. I want some. News was flat and boring and predictable. And that was good. Trump was starting to fade. Was the election really rigged? I never knew. There were too many people. The virus helped – but not enough. Demands were blatant and excessive. Work was optional. For idiots. Stupidity became normal, praised even. History is irrelevant – We will do it differently. Free is a right Free is a minimum. Is it all downhill from here? Will Hudson have a chance to live in a Golden Age? Will shelves ever be filled? Will energy ever be cheap? Will the world become available to me again? Will the idiots win? – They are now. Did the Golden Age just end? Can it ever return? The optimist becomes a pessimist AGAIN -- STILL -- NO -- IT’S NOT FUNNY 6000 new cases in California yesterday, Again. The COVID curve is beautiful – now – now that it’s bent down, Again. I forgot my mask yesterday, Again. I thought it was a fixed part of my leaving the house check-off list, Again. I must wear a mask – even exercising! Again. I have natural immunity – that’s what we call having had COVID19, Still. I resist, Again It doesn’t matter, Still. We hear orders and mandates - pontifications, because they can! Still. They aren’t wearing masks! Again. I check the statistics and the curve is down, Still! Have we learned anything? No!
Ron Pickett is a retired naval aviator with over 250 combat missions and 500 carrier landings. His 90-plus articles have appeared in numerous publications. He enjoys writing fiction and has published five books: Perfect Crimes – I Got Away with It, Discovering Roots, Getting Published, EMPATHS, and Sixty Odd Short Stories.
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