Strangely little difference now

from pre-corona post-bereavement life —

already isolate, pointless, dull and sad

dead inside just fits so well

in deadened dead-end world

2020 plans, hopes, dreams all dead

can't be revived for 2021

(or 2022)

there's no there there

no place to (safely) go

no one to (safely) see

There, there, now — can't truly say

it hurts to hurt a corpse . . .

in some ways, now

(in selfish, stupid, sappy ways)

dearth of loss (may be)

the worst thought of all?

❦