Weird Environmental Tug of War

Heather has a Bachelor's Degree in English from Moravian College and has been freelance writing for more than 12 years.

Starting to feel like the cabin fever was getting to be too much

A prisoner in a box that seemed to be shrinking by the minute

This tin can hard to sustain in for too long without going bonkers

Turning into a cartoon character with the bugged out eyes

That can't return back to normal due to fatigue

Hitting the metaphorical wall one too many times

A crash test dummy that had been tested too many times

Needed to get out of this destructive and inconclusive pattern

Saw no clear route to exit out of this claustrophobic line

Where no one seemed to stand six feet apart if they tried

Frustrated that life became a Hollywood movie

That nobody wanted to be part of its ever revolving door

Or cast members that made hasty exits built into their contracts

Wished I was smart enough to have done the same thing

Ultimate cheat sheet to get out of this slow moving line

Suffocating in this mask and the stagnant hot air

Summer fully upon us and ready to drop into a heap

Wanted to head for some faraway hills screaming

Cannot take being alone with the same boring thoughts

Made excuses to go out in public, even if it was unnecessary

How many trips to the grocery store can one take in a week

Locked in a state of generic routine down to a science

Wondered what it would take to break this cycle

Finding joy in even the silliest of mundane tasks

Fed up with being affected by problems that can be solved

Going over them ad nauseum with repeated analysis

About could be done differently and preventable steps

Pointless to go back in time when impossible to do so

Only Hollywood gave that option with an extra dose of consequences

Laughing for no reason at subjects that don't require it

Avoiding the evening news; nothing positive came from it

Violence, illness and legal ramifications galore

Problems and no solutions to be found in sight

Frustrating to listen to the world on the brink of something

Searched for optimism on the landscape of television repeats

Nice to find laugh at the jokes of the familiar material

Streaming services being used to the hilt since live programing

No longer existed or had decent content that didn't make you gag

Or revolt in protest by throwing the remote against the wall

Need it desperately to connect to the comfortable things

A time when innocence and hope didn't feel destroyed

Eager for the weekend to come; or a proper vacation

Recharging the batteries might do the trick

Shame it can't be more than a staycation.

Will have to take what can be given presently.

Comments

BRENDA ARLEDGE from Washington Court House on June 11, 2020:

A familiar feeling.

You describe it so well.

I am so relieved we have a few things we can now do...like going out to eat.

And yes, I have enjoyed having my food served to me at a table.

Nice writing.