Muted

Finally, the pandemic is loosening its grip
on our lock-downed lives, stores and offices
opening, events dormant for nearly two years
reappear, though it is a slow process.

Zoom hit its peak, now people prefer
in-person to virtual. Muted becomes a joke played
and replayed to sniggers and chuckles.
Variations of You’re Muted and Unmute Yourself
celebrate a closing of the covid cocoon we’ve
been living in.

But for me, I want to start a new trend.
Mute Yourself every time someone complains
about not needing to wear a mask. Enough of
the masks already, accept that we are moving
forward with or without you.

And for those conspiracy theory spreaders,
convinced that the government is injecting
us with drones to control our minds, please
mute yourself.

And while we’re at it, your constant complaints
about your little aches and pains are giant aches
to our ears. Get over it, take a pill and please
mute yourself.

Whining about the weather will not change it.
It’s cold, hot, often somewhere in between.
If you haven’t adjusted by now, do it.
In the interim, please mute yourself.

Yes, I like this new trend. Polite, not
your/my typical shut up already, with or
without the addition of two key words.
Lastly, think about things that cause you
annoyance, make you want to grumble,
groan, moan, squeak, squeal, or screech,
please refrain; instead, mute yourself.

~ J R Turek
June 27, 2021 Hour 18