Stay Home

a play on the current status of "nothing ventured, nothing gained"

Into the pandemic darkness I ventured

A plan in place for days like this

Restaurant for take out delight

Watermelon salad on hot day

At register I got big fright

No wearing of a mask

Cough aimed at me

Why not a gun?

for all to see

Ventured

gained

pain

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Love the eye catching format of this write Roland. Very creative. You have just described the worst nightmare at the moment. A cough coming your way when there are no masks or protective screens. I have to say, I now only shop once a week. Go masked and gloved, first thing in the morning before anyone else bothers. Supermarket rush, round there in twenty minutes for a weekly shop for four. Can't get out quick enough. Screen between me and cashier, pay contactless. What a difference a few months makes when I would dawdle down the aisles.

Chris

[Roland Petrov]

Oh yes, what a difference! Hope we all see each other again on the other side.

[alanwgraham]

Very clever take on our current predicament Roland. It's very interesting to see how different people have reacted to the likely hood of pain. As a longtime mountaineer there is a Continual assessment of pain or worse going on and I've come to the conclusion that the chances of a fatal outcome are less than you might presume. I suspect that being careful my chances of a covid tumble are small.
Take care,
Alan

[barleygirl]

My dear friend Annette (another poet at the cafe) described what she goes thru preparing for the possibility of a hurricane evacuation in covid-times & I was exhausted by the time she finished telling me! Since I've been living in the wilderness where everyone is miles apart & protections never seen, I forget what it can be like "out there" these days. I love that your poem juxtaposes the idea of using humor to make your point & yet also making a pretty damn pointed point when you compare an unmasked cough to pointing a gun. I agree that I'm more afraid of a cough than a gun. This seemingly lighthearted piece packs a punch (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Dave Brown]

I used to cough to cover my farts
Now I fart to cover my coughs
Hear this somewhere, thought it was quite appropriate
Perfect format!!

[Roland Petrov]

How things have changed! You couldn't go into a bank with a mask on; now you can't go in without a mask.

[Dave Brown]

The Lone Ranger is finally socially acceptable

[Roland Petrov]

Wrong! He wears the mask over his eyes, not his nose and mouth.

[Beano]

Thanks for the humour dear Roland! On balance, if the grub is good, and I'm hungry, I'm tucking in! Mask or no mask :)

[AJNJ]

No wearing of mask and then they cough! Wow. That’s criminal now!
The world has changed in depressing ways. When a simple human reflex like a cough is akin to the firing of a gun. Loved this read in a delightful format.

[Roland Petrov]

Thanks, Pestonjee. Because of covid, I found a really good Indian restaurant doing take out. There can be silver linings.

[AJNJ]

You're welcome :) Life is all about little treats that can still be afforded in this pandemic! Bon appétit :)

[Lorry]

I cleared my throat in a supermarket queue and felt those hate filled eyes hating me without looking up.
Given the current lockdown tensions, I was probably lucky I wasn't lynched.
I like to see a little humour amongst the current gloom.
Now I'm just wondering if by writing about the new C word (covid) and whether it now makes you a horror writer 😀

[Roland Petrov]

Don't clear your throat in public anymore, those days are gone. The only reason you weren't lynched is because no one wanted to touch you.

[Papaya]

I can appreciate the humour and sarcasm in this one.
:)

[Roland Petrov]

If this had actually happened, it wouldn't have been funny at all. Luckily, you're right.

[Papaya]

It can happen though. I nearly got run over by someone the other day. They knocked me right out of the way trying to get past me. The grocery aisles are one way and I may have been taking too long to make my selections. :)

[John the Baptist]

No wearing of a mask? Cough aimed at me? If you had shot the offender, you might have been able to plead self defense and be acquitted.

[Roland Petrov]

Luckily, it hasn't happened yet. You also seem to know that I'm white; otherwise, I'd probably have no hope at acquittal. Thanks, John.

[Roland Petrov]

This is a Nabla Del, a form of poetry invented by Richard. The example on his site is much better than my attempt, but at least I did attempt it.

[Richard🖌]

Ahhh, Roland!

Such an inspired, exemplary example of the Nabla Del you've created for our interest and entertainment, with your hallmark (seeming) ease of effort.
And, what a fit story for these trying times we're all going through … everyone should easily be able to relate to this one.

Befitting artwork and the title displayed with your well-crafted poem would be nice touches, and your comments above would be more appropriately placed in the Author's Note section, as-well.

As I've said, "You've accepted every challenge I ever sent you, always succeeding in fine fashion."

Thank you, My Friend, for giving this unique, original form a brilliantly successful try! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Roland Petrov]

Thank you! Thank you! I was nervous about this one, so your praise is a relief. I'll see what, if anything, I can do regarding artwork; so far, my abilities have been confined to posting a photograph below the poem.