As I sit here at this keyboard, reading the various articles and information about the continuing crisis, my sense of frustration and helplessness expands to a point that feels intolerable, even destructive. What can one old man do against an onslaught of this magnitude? Prayers, certainly. Conforming to the rules, obviously. However, not being particularly religious or conformist, for that matter, these minimal efforts feel like so much weak tea. I sit alone at night in the wee small hours wracking my brain, what can I do? Out of nowhere comes a memory about a story I’d heard once concerning the singer-songwriter Stephen Stills. When he was with the band Buffalo Springfield and they were putting the finishing touches on their latest album, there was room for one more song. Mr. Stills handed them a song he’d written and said, “here, for what it’s worth”. They recorded the song, put it on the album leaving the title blank except for the “for what it’s worth” comment and it went on to become one of the most often played songs of their canon. So, here is my “For What it’s Worth” offering.

So, this then is how we weather the storm?

We’re asked to abandon what we knew as the norm.

Among the many rules we’re being told,

is to maintain a distance between young and old.

We’re asked to stay away from family and friends.

At least until some of this insanity ends.

But will it end? And what will come after?

Will there be only tears? Or will there be laughter?

As time wears on till the plague is gone,

will we rejoin or remain alone?

Hopes and fears might be followed by cheers.

But the damage that’s been done will affect us for years.

At the end of the day, there is little to say.

Troubles bring truth that love is the way.

I hear the rooster as the sky brightens in the East. My eyes grow weary and my head grows heavy. But my heart is lightened as that sky is brightened. I can return to my bed and lay down my head. For now at least.

Best wishes and prayers to all who are scared. We’re all in this together whether we like it or not. Don’t fret over what’s missing, be grateful for what we’ve got. Your faithful servant…P.