to vices

in the absence of social 

outings

to vices vices vices

we resort 

a glass of wine 

while

zooming

to make everything better

tolerable

ok

for now

in the absence of pressure

to vices vices vices 

we resort

sleeping late

alarm never set

as though it never 

existed

rolling out of bed

whenever

or at some artificial specific time

only to be caught

lounging

who knows how long

after

in the absence of routine

to vices vices vices 

we resort

cleaning out closets

basements

arranging old photos

rearranging furniture

obsessively making our spaces

as conducive as possible

for long-term

and sane

stay

in the absence of health clubs

to vices vices vices

we resort

jogging on the pavement

versus the rotating belt 

pounding feet 

knees

criss-crossing streets

to avoid dogs

on leashes

on lawns 

swerving around walkers

passing Amazon Prime vans

going by folks 

sitting

chatting

unmasked

on beach chairs 

in garages

or playing family tag

on lawns

or shooting baskets

in driveways

in the absence of purpose

to vices vices vices 

we resort

drowning our selves

our anxieties

our worries

our stressors

in food

we cook

we eat

we bake

we persist 

in oral and visual and auditory

consumption

of Netflix

Hulu

Showtime

HBO

FX

Insta

FB

and news

and news

and more news

and more tears

for health workers

and grocery workers

and farmers

and janitors

and couriers

and other essentials

out there saving the world

we watch 

our bodies erased into couch puddles

our minds and emotions alive 

and brains only half-

awake

in the absence of appointments 

we resort to

vices vices vices

wondering repetitively

what day it is

what month

how much longer

time will go on 

as it stands still

"today is April 18, 2020"

whatever that means

in the absence of to-do's

we create create create

inventions springing up from every

lab 

and gutter

from coding mRNA vaccines

or testing convalescent plasma

to spinning propagandistic theories

to posting exercise shows

or at-home concerts

right down to hoarding cleaning supplies

or N-95's

or ventilators

driving up prices

for individuals, cities, states, countries, the world

to compete 

in the name of making a quick 

and dirty 

buck

up against a new 

as yet undefined

and surely 

unprecedented 

unreal reality

as unprecedented as everything

that has occurred 

since 2016

we resort to

online shopping for delivery

of cloth masks

of craft supplies

of Bounty wipes

of needs

and wants

to calm our frayed nerves

yes 

we hide in

cope in

soak in

sustain in

vices vices vices

distracting us

safeguarding us

for growing unnumbered years older

for survival

in the face of

keeping our precious breath

to ourselves