Watching a video while sheltering in place
Seeing people walking on crowded city sidewalks
A glimpse of the past we thought was permanent
Like a view of the twin towers in an old movie.
If this is war then truth is the first casualty
As propaganda against China would have it
Our enemy is not the failure of the leaders here
Not the imperatives of business ruling us.
The front lines exist wherever exposure happens
Not just in the hospitals and at the testing sites
But also where low wage workers do their jobs and live
In the poorest housing as well as prison populations.
As with the generals who send the troops into battle
Calculating what is an acceptable casualty rate
While keeping themselves back out of harm's way
The decision has already been made to sacrifice lives.
The demands of capital for return on investment
Dictates the response to the pandemic in this country
But the unprecedented bailout of business won't be enough
To prevent the disastrous collapse of the economy.
There’s no comparison between here and China
Us with ten times more deaths already and still counting
Though China has five times greater population
The apologists resort to false claims to discredit the numbers.
It’s about the basic differences in the social system and economy
Something for us to study and learn what must change here
While we spend years keeping our distance wearing masks
With people working while sick and no health insurance.
