The Virus

And the virus spread its shroud over every dale
And hallowed brook, over every mountain and
Halcyon prairie, over every bird that caressed the
Air, thereon the fading of the causeways; from

The most frenetic urban eye, to the most lonely
Farm of man, it enveloped the soul of meadows,
It undrowned upon the firmament; neither mask,
Nor vitamins, nor kale could slow its march; and

Reason was cut down as Avarice was crowned
King, while all who knelt before the monolith
Were felled by the angels damned; and the plague
Defiled all that wept upon the precipice: anon the

Fading of the night unsung – Hell’s bells the trader
Calling; and love was usurped by chaos, and chaos
By fear, and fear by rage, whereon the scourge of
Dissolution was set upon contagion’s hour, and pillage

And desolation were left at Hades’ door, as Rapacity
And Gluttony were struck of a new world burning; and
Naught were left to gloat but Rapine and Depravity, and
The songs of untold innocents were lost on wayward shores.

David Penner’s articles on politics and health care have appeared in Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, Global Research, The Saker blog, OffGuardian and KevinMD; while his poetry can be found at Dissident Voice, Mad in America, and redtailedhawk.substack.com. Also a photographer, he is the author of three books of portraiture: Faces of The New Economy, Faces of Manhattan Island, and Manhattan Pairs. He can be reached at 321davidadam@gmail.com. Read other articles by David.