Day 1186, Responses to Disaster

 

In our responses to disaster,

Frequently, we muck it up. (Some consonants may be altered to taste.)

These are responses we can’t master,

Though we try to suck it up.

 

When we are planning daily living,

We’re reacting to the past.

But Mother Nature’s unforgiving;

New disasters happen fast.

 

We have had hurricanes and flooding;

We’ll have many more; that’s plain.

It’s common sense we’re undercutting

When we build in a flood plain.

 

And now we have this new pandemic,

We must work hard to resolve.

Infectious agents are endemic;

Some day new ones will evolve.

 

So, we’ll develop vaccination

And learn how to treat these bugs.

But then, new bugs, new decimation:

Which means new vaccines and drugs.

 

So, we need early recognition

Of disasters on the way,

Which helps us plan new ammunition

To drive these new threats away.

 

But, if we’ve shut down institutions

That can watch new bugs mutate,

We will be slow to find solutions;

When we’re late, we hesitate.

 

What can save us?  Rely on science;

Don’t trust political bullshit.

Haven’t we learned, defying science,

Never helps us, not one bit?