The Gospel according to COVID

[Tim J Brennan]

Poem deleted 

[Colm Roe]

That's a lot of death Tim.
Not sure I have grasped this yet.
I think the repeats reflect what's become an absolute obsession with so many people. And yes, Covid is bad...but it's not that bad, relatively speaking.
S2 is the heart, the gospel, the good news, relatively speaking.
Some nice sensory language which steers me to the image of an author with his eyesraised to Heaven.
Enjoyed the read...but I would!

[Tim J Brennan]

That's a lot of death Tim.
Not sure I have grasped this yet.
I think the repeats reflect what's become an absolute obsession with so many people. And yes, Covid is bad...but it's not that bad, relatively speaking.
S2 is the heart, the gospel, the good news, relatively speaking.
Some nice sensory language which steers me to the image of an author with his eyesraised to Heaven.
Enjoyed the read...but I would!

As of this morning 365, 740 deaths in USA. Not quite the population of Cleveland. Bad, but not that bad....come back and read this again when the level gets to RB (really bad)  

Thanks for the read. 

[Tracy Mitchell]

Parts of this feel like a ritual reading -- which would support gospel talk. Almost dirge-like in places. Thus, the repeats are integral.

I don't have the religious background for this type of poem. Can't wait to see Indar's take.

Cheers.

T

[Tim J Brennan]

Parts of this feel like a ritual reading -- which would support gospel talk. Almost dirge-like in places. Thus, the repeats are integral.

I don't have the religious background for this type of poem. Can't wait to see Indar's take.

Cheers.

T

Thanks for the read, Tracy.

Not sure how to respond to "this type of poem" comment or why you would need a religious background to respond to it. I just write about things I don't understand.   

[Colm Roe]

Yes, there were too many deaths in the USA, but compared to all the other deaths that have occurred in the last 10 months, or compared to the Spanish flu it's not that bad.
The point I was making was some people have become obsessed with Covid. I know a few of them, and yet I don't know anyone who has died from it!

[Tim J Brennan]

December 17, 2020

COVID-19 as the Leading Cause of Death in the United States in 2020

I won't bore you w/the whole article since you already know it's not that bad outside your world. And I hope you never do meet anyone who has died from it. It would be awkward. 

[Colm Roe]

'I don't know anyone who has died from it'. You consider that to mean what you're implying? Seriously?
You've just reminded me why I stopped commenting on your posts.
 

[Tim J Brennan]

'I don't know anyone who has died from it'. You consider that to mean what you're implying? Seriously?
You've just reminded me why I stopped commenting on your posts.
 

Thank God for that. But remember this....it's not that bad

[Dave]

I wasn't much fond of the poem at the beginning but it grows on me somewhat. IT is well composed and as can be seen from the comments and comments on comments offers a surface for debate. It is indeed interestign how minds turn to religion to rtry and make sense of the blindingly obvious and turn death into a mystery on the one and prob´vide an undertsandable means of coping with pain.

The comments reveal too the risks of comparison - not so bad being relative to what exactly? Stalin I believe said something like: 1 million deaths are a statistic and one death a tragedy. If only the poem had some of the passion that the discussion had afterwards, it would also be as emotionally satisfying as it is well-written. Likewise if the practical confrontation with covid were as urgent as poetry solutions might reveal themselves faster. 

I wish us all a safe and fruitful life. Death takes care of itself. Frankly I have always thought it an imensely dull subject in itself even if it makes for good poems. Life is far more interesting.