Come sirens and squirrels, and red-tailed hawks;
big moving trucks heckling afternoon walks;
Come fear-mongers, fascists, and mace in the streets;
the banners and bullhorns, the menacing tweets.
Come Covid and colds, and allergies, flus;
the aliens, asteroids, wintertime blues;
Come fireworks, quarantines, and cannibal rats;
the humans always home, the pissed off cats.
The pooches of Queens will repel all diseases;
all foibles and follies, all faraway sneezes;
It’s what they’ve been prepping their whole lives to do;
got their masks on — check! — and their goggles poised too.
Words by Rick Stachura. “Please Curb Your Disease.” September 6, 2020.
Photo by Rick Stachura. Along 29th Street. Astoria, Queens. August 19, 2020.