3 American Sentences, a Senryū, and an Elfchen Walk into a Bar...

“I like good strong words that mean something…” ~ Louisa May Alcott

Doomscrolling turns fashionably destructive, in the time of COVID.

I can’t face-
book like I used to,
pre-COVID.

Covidiots aren’t prejudiced—they’ll kill loved ones and strangers alike.

I
do support
their unalienable right
to be uncaringly stupid
(alone).

Virtue-signalling makes my soul feel fake, so cancel culture it is.

 

- for Poets and Storytellers United (Weekly Scribblings #48: “Words of an Unprecedented Year”). The sequence was inspired by 5 questions (which I will not share) and 4 words (listed below) borrowed from the Oxford Languages 2020 report.

Doomscrolling: n. the action of compulsively scrolling through social media or news feeds which relate bad news.

Covidiot: n. a person who disobeys guidelines designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Virtue-signalling: n. the public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue.

Cancel culture: n. a culture in which there is a widespread practice of publicly rejecting or withdrawing support from people or things regarded as promoting socially unacceptable views.

 

A Taste of Real Magic

A witch knows
real magic isn’t conjured
out of hats: power lies
not in trickery but in work.

To feel magic,
stick your fingers in the dirt.
To craft magic,
plant a well-loved seed.
To see magic,
care for each sprout and watch it
grow into fruit—

the harvest of your work is always
a taste of real magic. 

 
the last tomato harvest of this season

- for Poets and Storytellers United (Writers’ Pantry #48: Words, Words, Words)