on social distancing

it could be out of habit that we tour

our city by car

as we measure each distance between ourselve

in meters &/or feet

& yet that quick drop by the grocery store

proves others have the same idea

stock up on staples like milk & bread

fresh fruit

but even at Home Depot 

there were a great many people

poking at the garden section 

buying nails & lumber

each crowding the cash registers 

& trying to keep their distance

god help someone who sneezes or coughs

perhaps the knives would come out

& we take our frustration anger & confusion

of something that feels completely unreal
the humor cracked & the boil lanced

like we were dropped into a sci fi movie

as all of us scour the shelves for just one role

of toilet paper