23 NOVEMBER AT A FORK IN THE ROAD

HIKIKOMORI

ARE YOU TOMORROW’S PEOPLE?

JAPANESE BOYS WHO DARE NOT EAT THE PEACH   

SO MANY YEARS SPENT IN SELF-ISOLATION  

THERE HAD TO BE A NEW WORD FOR THEM  

IN THE PAST NINE MONTHS SINCE THE VIRUS INVADED US   

LONG ENOUGH  NOT ONLY TO GESTATE  BUT ALSO TO MUTATE  

HAVE WE ALL BECOME MORE LIKE YOU? 

IF CHRISTMAS IS NORMALLY HELD IN CLOSE PROXIMITY 

EVEN STRANGERS LEAN IN TO KISS

PERHAPS WE’VE BEEN LEANING THE OTHER WAY  

OUR LOCK-DOWN-DISTANCE FROM ONE ANOTHER  

MIGHT ADD UP TO AN XMAS IN REVERSE   

INADVERTENT BUT PERMANENT

ALTERNATIVELY

WITH  1   2   3 VACCINES

ON THE  READY-STEADY-GO    

MAY BE COMING HOME  TO THE ROAR OF THE CROWD    

O COME  O COME  EMMANUEL   

WITH A SHOT IN THE ARM   

WE’LL GO JOYFULLY TO FOOTBALL    

AND TALK AGAIN OF MICHELANGELO

WISHING THE VACCINES ARE NOT TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE
AND THAT GOVERNMENTS DON’T SCREW UP    
YOURS TRULY  
THE NEWS POET