Pandas Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Reality!
So much of it has come.
To dump it all at once,
Upon unsuspecting minds.
Sheltered and entertained,
By animation.
Dedicated to imagination.
And amusements of all kinds.
For many to find,
A reality to live it a waste of time.

"It's all over the news.
You know...
I had not seen one yet.
And still they talk about 'them'."

-Them? Them who? -

"The pandas.
Everyone has been made afraid.
Since they were found to escape,
From China."

Reality!
So much of it to introduce at one time.

-No!
What has happened is a 'pandemic'.-

"I know that.
They all escaped together.
Traveling in a pandemic.
And the one named 'Virus'.
That's the leader.
Creating havoc to spread,
From one place to another.
That's what my teacher said."

Upon unsuspecting,
Childish and isolated minds.
Where does one begin,
To find the time to explain...
The difference between,
Reality and the truth of it.
To one confined to delude and fantasize,
All of their adult life.

"Virus is a disease.
And this disease has caused,
An enforced 'social distance'.
Leaving the reason why,
The economy has taken a nose dive.
People are dieing and threatened by death,
Everywhere."

-Why couldn't the people,
Inject themselves with disinfectant?
Or...
Maybe drink bleach.
To clean their bodies out.
Making the pandas go away.
Taking with them their 'pandemic' too! ? -

"I know you are joking.
And being sarcastic."

-About what? -

Reality!
Difficult and hard it is to believe.
There could be,
Even people sitting...
In the highest positions making decisions.
Who will never be convinced,
Reality is not faked.
Nor is it created to make it up.
Just for the pain and sorrow of it.

-Look. See?
They've got all those people,
Covered from head to toe.
In white sheets.
Claiming the pandas did it.
And I know them to be cute and innocent.-

Reality!
Where on Earth has it gone?

"THEY ARE DEAD.
DEAD FROM A VIRUS.
WE MUST KEEP A SOCIAL DISTANCE.
IN THE HOPE THE PANDEMIC,
GOES AWAY."

-Be nice to me.
Or...-

"Or what?
Replace me too? "

-You said that.
I didn't.
Although...
I may consider your recommendation.-

"FINE!
And...
Who will you discuss that with?
The PANDAS! ? "