⠀⠀⠀⠀In the dark crème living room
and the brown crooked streets outside
⠀⠀at night—
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀the numbers keep shooting up
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀on the yellow television screen.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Time Magazine on the table says
“Outbreak More Serious than Reported!”
⠀⠀intercut by—
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The New York Times:“Draconic
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Measures Under Fears of Pandemic!”

Draconic? Draconian—Draco Malfodian—
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Drake’s Stash of Codeine—

I pull the cupola of deadline-paper-fever
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀and YouTube videos over my head—
A calming motion of hereness—
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀consolation of the
log-soil-and-pine essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson—

⠀⠀⠀⠀Sawdust breathes through the cracks
⠀⠀⠀⠀of the attic where I draw my pictures.

March 7, 2020