“Warm Praise”

 “Warm Praise”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

Warm praise feeling drained as educators 

switching back-and-forth between 

in-person and online teaching 

workloads doubling

weariness surging 

locking and loading links 

endangering well being ...

“Gathering”

 “Gathering”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

Gathering size limits 

viral upticks split decisions 

houses of worship proximity risks 

dissenting opinions ...

“A Sharp Turn”

 “A Sharp Turn”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

A sharp turn up to a staunch launch altitude 

orderly unwavering unfaltering 

acknowledging experience and accomplishments 

taking charge urging cooperation easing gridlock 

VERSUS

no-holds-barred harmful gossip 

botched Corona responses unapologetic hypocrisy 

re-targeting lame-duck dollars affording pardons ...

“Pardoning a Turkey”

 “Pardoning a Turkey”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

Pardoning a turkey named, “Peas”

unfortunately “Carrots” refused to concede 

as hammy pageantry remarking grandly,

“It’s too bad for Carrots —

I hereby intend to pardon 

myself as a lame-duck president” ...

“Never Been Harder”

 “Never Been Harder” 

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

Never been harder/missing our favorite spots/ fearing harm from microscopic aerosolized droplets/ finding no safe harbors/longingly asking,“Where have all our houseguests gone?”/ aborted gatherings/lacking clatter and buzz/ flirting and laughter/ feeling deep sadness/ empty social calendars/ clamoring for human interaction/ having to fall back on virtual reality/ imagining big bashes/ post vaccination planning ...

“Exhausting”

 “Exhausting”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

Exhausting blowing up norms 

asking imploringly, “Are we free or formless?”

having reached our turning point or melting point 

sadly responding, “By golly” or “Golly gosh darn”

connecting the dots to the hot spots 

of  “Democracy’s Debacle” ...

“Lessening Threats and Tensions”

 “Lessening Threats and Tensions”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

Lessening threats and tensions/as a subversive sitting president is reckoned, “irrelevant”/dispelling lame-duck “hysterics”/as the 46th president elect compellingly pushes ahead/rationally combating infectious spread/effectively developing credible economic recovery measures/competently accomplishing remarkable “blockage unblocking”/prompting calmative cooperation/ uncommonly resolved by far ...