D.R.E.A.M.S. Sonnets

To celebrate National Poetry Month in April I am inaugurating a new series of poems titled D.R.E.A.M.S., an acrostic for “Dream: Reality, Enigma, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), Meaning: Sonnets.” Tweeter Tales is on hiatus during the COVID-19 crisis and before the Nov. 2020 election. I also stopped it a month or so before the 2016 U.S .presidential election. T.O.A.S.T. will continue from time to time. I hope the poems will provide some entertainment and distraction from the COVID-19 crisis. Wash your hands and give “air high-fives” from 6 feet away. Happy April Fool’s Day from Jose Connolly aka Pepe Batboon on April 7, a Full Pink Moon aka a Full Fish Moon coming soon.

Dream Streams Between COVID-19

When you’ve reached your peak this round
after your trip spread and turned total global
on what animal and human lungs will you pound
in your studded soccer like ball cell ignoble? 
in what countries hide? what four legged creature
will you inhabit? gecko? rat? goat, pig,or rabbit ?
will your shape mutate and have a new feature?
will your symptoms retain the same former habit?
will you favor cold? be scarce near the equator?
will we have a vaccine ready for those who want?
will you weaken so less will need an inhalator?
or still make it difficult to breathe as elders pant?
will you mutate sooner or later into COVID 2020?
will Vegas bookies give high odds or even money?

Tinian Open Vegas Closed Virus Posed

I am old and uneasy under budding trees
inside the neurotic city unhappy as mud
the night sky shows off Jupiter and satellites
time lets me enjoy it the Vegas Strip below
still glowing despite the COVID 19 shutdown
my seven minute sonnets pop up like popcorn
I’m honored to be Tinian island’s poet laureate
but laurels and praise belong to the good people there
good cowfoot soup, reef fish grilled over tangantangan
on the limestone trail flame trees orange carpet
walking across wet sand to the next pocket beach
now self isolation in a city sin has temporarily left
gone with cautionary measures for all concerned
I say a prayer the virus passes by the entire CNMI.

Joey “Pepe Batbon” Connolly is a retired teacher and poet living on Tinian who taught English in CNMI public schools for the past 30 years. He has also taught in Alaska, New Orleans, and Las Vegas.