The bug is new, and creatures who should lead
are aiming, if they have an aim, to block
emerging facts from notice. They impede
statistics, bury data. It would shock
us but our tolerance to stupid, bad
and venal is beyond absurdity.
Decisions we deplore and deem as mad
have burst the bounds of incredulity.

We know so little. Every clue we get
is masked or filtered like a nurse’s face.
We haven’t figured out prevention yet,
although we wash and hunker down in place,
and try to follow masking protocols
which won’t protect from viral aerosols.