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My favorite gifts come with no strings attached No favors expected No backs to be scratched And this, I believe, is what love is For otherwise what have we done but substituted one for one? And there is little room to grow when bound by rules of quid pro quo One day perhaps I'll live to see mysterious doors at last unlatched And I will learn to give myself without a single string attached For that, I believe, is what love is I came to pick you up one day in a long black limousine Thinking you'd be flattered to be treated like a queen But you told me that was not your style, the simple things would do And you'd rather ride a bicycle if it was made for two I said "Let's travel round the world and stay at grand hotels!" Thinking that a plan like that would cast all kinds of spells But you were frankly unimpressed and gently told me why You'd rather stay at home with me and watch the world go by So then I brought a diamond ring and a double strand of pearls Thinking they would woo you as they do so many girls But you told me what you really liked was how I made you laugh And both of us are smiling in our wedding photograph I'm proud of my family, my neighbors and friends: the circles to which I belong Throughout this pandemic the ties that bind us remained unrelentingly strong We all rallied round as best we could when push truly came to shove We kept on loving the ones we care for and caring for the ones we love Tonight we'll plunge into unknown waters unsure if we'll sink or float But I trust that our families, our friends, and our neighbors will be there if we need a boat I and many just like me remember how things used to be When you and I and everyone would meet as we have always done To celebrate with those we know traditions started long ago Then came the virus in the night wreaking havoc left and right "Mercy, mercy!" people cry as they see their loved ones die Hoping that a new vaccine will mean the end of quarantine Though being with friends and family is what Thanksgiving means to me We're wary of the danger zone and choose to spend this day alone We shall, of course, propose a toast to all that we revere the most Then challenge fate and make a vow to meet again a year from now In our covid-stricken world we live in partial isolation resisting the temptation to do as we've always done As we try to come to terms with our novel circumstances we dream of things like summer dances and roaming 'round the city just for fun Myriad daily bulletins show scary numbers rising so it's not at all surprising that we don't believe the war's already won We're going to have to find a safe and comfortable routine for our time in quarantine that I think perhaps has only just begun What am I missing in this new life we lead? What can I do without? What do I need? I'm missing the kissing and the fond embraces But not the loud and crowded places I don't miss rush hour or long check-out lines or having to primp and get dressed to the nines There aren't many things I genuinely pine for Not much I'm willing to stand in line for To be more specific I ask myself this: what do I actually honestly miss? Perhaps an espresso at a favorite café or dining with friends who have something to say Being free to do whatever I please and go where I like with the greatest of ease Movies and galleries on hot afternoons Family birthdays with cake and balloons Keeping away from the children is tough Six feet apart is just not close enough I worry the little ones don't understand why they can't hold their great-uncle's hand The cruelest constraint till the pandemic ends is social distance from family and friends There are some stubborn citizens with short attention spans Who don't appear to notice that there's been a change of plans They want to dine in restaurants and socialize in bars Their children crave amusement parks and rides in bumper cars They want to go to stadiums to mingle with the crowd Yet see no need to wear a mask and swear they won't be cowed But lately I've been noticing how much the crowds have thinned As some of us are blown away by the illest kind of wind These boundaries are stifling and none of us are fans Of course we want our lifestyle back but there's been a change of plans It’s been a crazy April and it isn’t going to change in May
The damn pandemic is looking like it’s here to stay We’re not going outside till all the pestilence has blown away When this mess is over there’s going to be some hell to pay I count my blessings daily as I’m sure that you count yours I don’t mind that I have to do my share of all the household chores We order food online and it’s delivered by the local stores It’s not bad if you can handle simple living in the great indoors The mighty market’s crashed and the economy’s not doing too well Our future looked so rosy till the virus came and broke the spell Now we’re amazed to see how everything has gone to hell "C’est la vie" say the old folks, "it goes to show you never can tell" With thanks to Chuck Berry We’re trying to be more flexible whatever we arrange For nothing’s really set in stone and everything can change A telegram might go astray A card could be declined The promise made by so-and-so may simply slip her mind An unexpected pair of queens will beat a pair of jacks A password on a post-it note can slip between the cracks The wind can drop The sails can droop The boat can run aground The peg supplied with some square holes may actually be round The fickleness of fate contrives to keep us on our toes We like to think we’re in control but honestly, who knows? tony beckwith 2020 Some like the jungle Some like the beach Some like to break the rules Some like to preach Some prefer the status quo Some like revolutions Some enjoy a free-for-all Some like institutions Everyone's on board the train about to leave the station Last chance to confirm the route and final destination Last chance to give some thought to what we ought to pack For we're off to meet the future and we're never coming back |
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