Apocalyptic Rehab | By Puma Perl
Every day is different,
and every day’s the same
Sleep patterns vary
It’s more like giving in
than waking up and,
like a good patient,
I diligently make my bed
and never return to it
during daylight hours
Over morning coffee,
Cynthia and I text message
and discuss our daily
treatment plans
Meditation, breathing, chanting,
stretching, creative writing
Mid-morning Cuomo break
She practices kickboxing
I attempt gentle yoga
She suggests music therapy
You close your eyes,
no multi-tasking allowed
I lean towards jazz
in my sessions,
Sonny and Dexter and Coltrane
Yesterday, Cynthia chose Sinatra
Today it’s Exile on Main Street
Short term goals include:
Time limits on social media
and news reports,
wash your hair,
practice positivity,
call three people daily.
and always know what day it is
There are no long-term goals
Always, there are dilemmas
Are there enough clean towels?
Do we risk the laundry room?
Should I walk the dog in the park?
Should she take a field trip
to her building’s backyard?
Should we check the mail?
Maybe a Zoom 12-step meeting
Maybe a liquor store delivery
Hard to choose
Visiting hours are Mondays
through Thursdays
Diva is my only guest
She doesn’t say much
but she listens intently
and wags her tail
Sometimes
there’s a care package
attached to her leash
Once a week
Joe dons his Dion hat
and shades,
invites us all
into his basement
50 or 100 friends
He plays our favorite songs
and laughs at his own jokes,
brings us together
for an hour or two
Last night he closed the session
with one of my poems
“Riding with Heroin”
followed “Pale Blue Eyes”
Ron dropped in from Prague
and Renegade Dave from the UK
This is how our days go
There are meals to prepare
Food shopping to plan
The governor’s press conferences
The Walking Dead
and The Hunters
Family to check in on
People to miss
People to mourn
and time is rolling on
more quickly
than we’d imagined,
the world spinning,
rebelling
Venice canals run clear
Birds returned to China
New York City’s air cleanest
we’ve breathed in years
The nights are quiet
except for the sirens
And every evening,
at exactly 7PM,
our city changes its beat
We leave our dinner tables.
our computers, our phones
Turn off the televisions
and cheer
Pots and pans banging
Whistles and fireworks
New York, New York
blasting from fire escapes
People shouting from terraces
rooftops, windows, porches.
louder and longer
each evening
while the hospital workers
change shift
and the bodegas
lock up for the night
as the home health aides
walk to the subway
and a new group of heroes
begin their 12-hour work days
Afterwards,
we pour a glass of wine
or a shot of Jameson,
pull down the shades,
and contemplate
our treatment plans
for another day
in Apocalyptic Rehab.
© puma perl, 04/05/2020
Puma Perl is a poet and writer, with five solo collections in print. The most recent is Birthdays Before and After (Beyond Baroque Books, 2019.) She is the producer/creator of Puma’s Pandemonium, which brings spoken word together with rock and roll, and she performs regularly with her band Puma Perl and Friends. She’s received three New York Press Association awards in recognition of her journalism, and is the recipient of the 2016 Acker Award in the category of writing. Her most recent books can be found by clicking here.
Chelsea Community News is made possible with the help of our awesome advertisers, and the support of our readers. If you like what you see, please consider taking part in our GoFundMe campaign (click here). To make a direct donation, give feedback about the site, or send a Letter to The Editor, email us at Scott@chelseacommunitynews.com.
Pingback: cheap sex shows
Pingback: live nude chat
Pingback: live cam sex
Pingback: sex chat
Pingback: live sex
Pingback: cheap video chat
Pingback: live sex
Pingback: free adult webcams
Pingback: free sex webcams
Pingback: ro private server
Pingback: life expectancy of chiweenie
Pingback: can puppy eat bread
Pingback: blue french bulldog
Pingback: how to get papers for a dog
Pingback: French Bulldog puppies in San Antonio
Pingback: blue french bulldog
Pingback: crypto
Pingback: coco tennis
Pingback: French Bulldog puppies in Austin
Pingback: french bulldog puppies near me for sale
Pingback: weather in gilbert
Pingback: how to obtain dog papers
Pingback: linh hoang
Pingback: frenchie gpt
Pingback: dogs papers
Pingback: fiv mexico
Pingback: in vitro fertilization mexico
Pingback: in vitro fertilization mexico
Pingback: in vitro fertilization mexico
Pingback: probiotic dog treats
Pingback: micro bully
Pingback: french bulldog rescue houston
Pingback: clima cancun
Pingback: wordpress geo
Pingback: merle french bulldog
Pingback: fluffy french bulldog
Pingback: lilac french bulldogs
Pingback: lilac french bulldogs
Pingback: folding hand fans
Pingback: fartcoin crypto
Pingback: frenchie boston terrier mix
Pingback: frenchie chihuahua mix
Pingback: frenchie chihuahua mix
Pingback: floodle puppies for sale
Pingback: frenchie chihuahua mix
Pingback: floodle puppies for sale
Pingback: frenchie chihuahua mix
Pingback: frenchie boston terrier mix
Pingback: frenchie chihuahua mix
Pingback: italia crop top
Pingback: chanel bucket hat
Pingback: bulldog pins
Pingback: need money for porsche
Pingback: crypto news
Pingback: french bulldogs for sale ca
Pingback: Kim Miyang Acupuncturist & Herbalist
Pingback: best probiotic for english bulldog
Pingback: French Bulldog For Sale
Pingback: Frenchie Puppies
Pingback: French Bulldog For Sale
Pingback: French Bulldog For Sale
Pingback: Frenchie Puppies
Pingback: French Bulldog Puppies Near Me
Pingback: beach golf cart rental
Pingback: grey french bulldog
Pingback: yorkie poo breeding
Pingback: clima tultitlán
Pingback: French Bulldog Rescue
Pingback: French Bulldog Rescue
Pingback: French Bulldog Rescue
Pingback: French Bulldog Adoption
Pingback: French Bulldog Adoption
Pingback: French Bulldog Adoption
Pingback: French Bulldog Adoption
Pingback: golf cart rentals isla mujeres
Pingback: rent a yacht in cancun
Pingback: french bulldog texas
Pingback: french bulldog rescue
Pingback: wix seo
Pingback: Instagram URL Shortener
Pingback: Dog Registry
Pingback: Dog Papers
Pingback: Dog Papers
Pingback: Dog Registry
Pingback: Dog Registry
Pingback: Dog Papers
Pingback: Dog Papers
Pingback: Dog Registry
Pingback: Dog Registry
Pingback: Dog Papers
Pingback: Dog Papers
Pingback: How To Get My Dog Papers
Pingback: Dog Breed Registries
Pingback: Dog Papers
Pingback: How To Obtain Dog Papers
Pingback: Dog Breed Registries
Pingback: Dog Papers
Pingback: Dog Registry
Pingback: How To Obtain Dog Papers
Pingback: french bulldog pug mix
Pingback: frenchie yorkie mix
Pingback: boston terrier french bulldog mix
Pingback: minnect expert
Pingback: mexican candy near me
Pingback: bjj jiu jitsu magnolia texas
Pingback: french bulldog
Pingback: french bulldog
Pingback: brazilian jiu jitsu cypress tx
Pingback: brazilian jiu jitsu in houston
Pingback: crypto news
Pingback: playnet
Pingback: nepo hat
Pingback: french bull
Pingback: mexican candy store near me
Pingback: mexican candy store near me
Pingback: mexican candy store near me
Pingback: mexican candy store near me
Pingback: mexican candy store near me
Pingback: mexican candy store near me
Pingback: mexican candy store near me
Pingback: linh hoang
Pingback: we buy french bulldogs
Pingback: dr kim acupuncture
Pingback: dog probiotic
Pingback: joyce echols
Pingback: 늑대닷컴
Pingback: johnny dang
Pingback: 늑대닷컴
Pingback: elizabeth kerr
Pingback: dump him shirt
Pingback: french bulldog blue color
Pingback: lilac frenchies
Pingback: cheap french bulldog puppies under $500
Pingback: moped rental isla mujeres
Pingback: grey frenchies
Pingback: isla mujeres golf cart rental
Pingback: clima en chimalhuacán
Pingback: chamy rim dips
Pingback: mexican candy store
Pingback: download marvel rivals hacks
Pingback: securecheats pubg hacks
Pingback: bfv ESP
Pingback: secure aimbot store
Pingback: undetected arma cheats
Pingback: undetected apex hacks
Pingback: cod warzone cheats
Pingback: floodle puppies for sale
Pingback: esports domain
Pingback: blockchain
Pingback: best probiotic for english bulldog
Pingback: 라이브스코어
Pingback: 스포츠중계
Pingback: 스포츠분석
Pingback: french pitbull
Pingback: rent a yacht in cancun
Pingback: playnet app
Pingback: isla mujeres luxury rentals
Pingback: free sex cams
Pingback: live adult webcams
Pingback: cheap sex webcams
Pingback: live amateur webcams
Pingback: بطاقة ايوا
Pingback: houston french bulldogs for sale
Pingback: Omron
Pingback: Honeywell
Pingback: surrogate mother in mexico
Pingback: cuautitlan izcalli clima
Pingback: vietravel tour
Pingback: linh hoang
Pingback: french bulldog rescue
Pingback: cuautitlan izcalli clima
Pingback: cuautitlan izcalli clima
Pingback: clima en chimalhuacan
Pingback: clima en chimalhuacan
Pingback: clima en chimalhuacan
Pingback: cuautitlan izcalli clima
Pingback: cuautitlan izcalli clima
Pingback: atizapán de zaragoza clima
Pingback: condiciones climaticas queretaro
Pingback: acupuncture fort lee
Pingback: french bulldog puppies near me
Pingback: registry dog
Pingback: floodle
Pingback: in vitro fertilization mexico
Pingback: french bulldog texas
Pingback: texas heeler
Pingback: massachusetts boston terriers
Pingback: cam sex
Pingback: free amateur webcams
Pingback: cam sex
Pingback: sex webcams
Pingback: free adult webcams
Pingback: micro frenchie
Pingback: frenchie for sale in houston
Pingback: french bulldog puppies for sale $200
Pingback: itme.xyz
Pingback: ทางเข้าpg
Pingback: โบท็อกราคาส่ง
Pingback: bdsm chat rooms
Pingback: sa game login
Pingback: รักษาสิว
Pingback: EVOPLAY ค่ายสล็อตออนไลน์ evoplay gaming
Pingback: buôn bán người
Pingback: Premium URL Shortener
Pingback: auto body shop near me
Pingback: altogel
Pingback: mdma safety,
Pingback: ประวัติและการเติบโตของ SBOBET
Pingback: https://betwinnermobil.org/
Pingback: EVOPLAY GAMES
Pingback: ขายคอนโด
Pingback: Mongoose
Pingback: psilocybe chocolate
Pingback: พนันบอล
Pingback: Thomas Adewumi University
Pingback: Investing in the stock market
Pingback: 토토샤오미
Pingback: 토토밀라노
Pingback: 推筒子規則
Pingback: Buy Guns Online
Pingback: 12 gauge benelli supernova
Pingback: สล็อต pg เว็บตรง
Pingback: pearl oyster mushroom,
Pingback: sbobet
Pingback: ดูหนังใหม่
Pingback: matrimonialero.com
Pingback: https://axecollegehumor.com/2022/05/how-to-run-a-more-effective-meeting/
Pingback: good dumps store
Pingback: คาสิโนออนไลน์
Pingback: good shop for carding
Pingback: Buy Weed near me
Pingback: ถาดกระดาษ
Pingback: คา สิ โน ออนไลน์ ไม่มี ขั้น ต่ำ
Pingback: world market url