Plague Year Poems

A Poem a Day for the Duration
March 22, 2020 through June 7, 2021

by Michael H. Payne

March 2020
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April 2020
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March 22: 1. Going Gentle April 1: 11. My Darn Brain April 11: 21. My Favorite Day of the Year April 21: 31. Do Fence Me In
March 23: 2. Blather, Wince, Repeat April 2: 12. The Eternal Now April 12: 22. Our Modern Age April 22: 32. Inhabitual
March 24: 3. Waiting for the Call April 3: 13. Clarion Comfort April 13: 23. Correction April 23: 33. Gone Viral
March 25: 4. Social Distancing in Paradise April 4: 14. Getting to Know My Laptop April 14: 24. A Trifle Hubristic April 24: 34. A Lot of Weather We're Having Lately
March 26: 5. Crass Commercialism April 5: 15. This Modern Age April 15: 25. Tantalus April 25: 35. By the Beautiful Sea
March 27: 6. How Life Goes On April 6: 16. Providing a Vital Service Apparently April 16: 26. Confession April 26: 36. Three Dozen
March 28: 7. My Plans for Saturday April 7: 17. All Very Hush Hush April 17: 27. An Unreliable Narrator April 27: 37. My Pre-existing Condition
March 29: 8. Quite Contrary April 8: 18. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow April 18: 28. Dessert With Three 'S's April 28: 38. 'Twas Ever Thus
March 30: 9. What I've Been Thinking All Along April 9: 19. A Glow-in-the-Dark Bumbershoot? April 19: 29. The Siren Song of Honesty April 29: 39. Full of Sound and Fury
March 31: 10. Taking My Zicam... April 10: 20. Breaking My Fast April 20: 30. Some Sort of "Versary" April 30: 40. Me Complaining Again

May 2020
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June 2020
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May 1: 41. Hello, Dali May 17: 57. Fifty-Seven Varieties June 1: 72. Original Sin June 16: 87. Must! Keep! Dancing!
May 2: 42. Another Saturday at Home May 18: 58. Utilizing the First Person Plural June 2: 73. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Hams June 17: 88.And It Comes Out Here
May 3: 43. Invitation to the Dance May 19: 59. Invitation June 3: 74. Prejudiced June 18: 89. Priorities
May 4: 44. Learning Curve May 20: 60. Three Hundred Poems from Now June 4: 75. The Butterfly Effect June 19: 90. Seriously, Though
May 5: 45. Crunchy May 21: 61. Adventure Awaits June 5: 76. The Sound of Chainsaws June 20: 91. The Endless Summer
May 6: 46. The Red Shoes May 22: 62. Oh, Me of Little Faith June 6: 77. A Brief Action Scene June 21: 92. Squirrel!
May 7: 47. Buckets of Fried Cheese May 23: 63. One of My Hobbies June 7: 78. One Puppet Master's Lament June 22: 93. Another Squirrel
May 8: 48. Prosody or Prose? May 24: 64. Such Pretty Colors June 8: 79. A Learning Experience June 23: 94. The Third Squirrel
May 9: 49. Seven Come Eleven May 25: 65. Both Spirit and Flesh are Weak June 9: 80. Festering Carbuncles June 24: 95. Close Encounters of the Squirrel Kind
May 10: 50. My Biggest Fan May 26: 66. Disposition June 10: 81. Mono a Mono June 25: 96. Drowsy
May 11: 51. Another Little Dialogue May 27: 67. The Bony Pony Polka June 11: 82. The Big Question June 26: 97. A Cleanup in All Departments
May 12: 52. Prepare for a Hatch Battening May 28: 68. The Sound of One Fist Fighting June 12: 83. Ballade of Things to Come June 27: 98. Steady State
May 13: 53. The Collapse of Civilization May 29: 69. Don't Write What You Don't Know June 13: 84. Thirteen Weeks Later June 28: 99. My Darn Brain Again
May 14: 54. Come 'n' Get It May 30: 70. Barometric Pressure June 14: 85. Exhortation June 29: 100. Big Round Number
May 15: 55. Reaching the Old Speed Limit May 31: 71. 1971 June 15: 86. Eighty-Six Me June 30: 101. Just Getting Warmed Up
May 16: 56. Mark Your Calendars

July 2020
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August 2020
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July 1: 102. And Two Steps Back July 17: 118. Walk it Off August 1: 133. Fifteen Thousand Words August 16: 148. My National Anthem
July 2: 103. Pseudo-Nostalgia July 18: 119. The Once and Future Jerk August 2: 134. Home Again, Home Again August 17: 149. Badgering
July 3: 104. What Woke Me This Morning July 19: 120. Asymptomatic August 3: 135. Birds Without Hats August 18: 150. Being Badgered
July 4: 105: The Pathetic Fallacy July 20: 121: One Two One August 4: 136. When Air Becomes Sky August 19: 151. Badger-Go-Round
July 5: 106: This Holiday Weekend July 21: 122. A Month After the Solstice August 5: 137. What I Don't Mean August 20: 152. A Brief Disclaimer
July 6: 107. On the List to be Off the List July 22: 123. Four August 6: 138. What I Do Mean August 21: 153. The Badger and the Beautiful
July 7: 108: Green Eggs and Ants July 23: 124: The New Normal at the Library August 7: 139. Nearly Killed While Baking Again August 22: 154: Badger of Office
July 8: 109: And the Dying is Easy July 24: 125: A Nine-Dollar Hot Dog August 8: 140: Google "Prime 53 Poem" August 23: 155. The Good, the Badger, and the Ugly
July 9: 110. It's Comedy That's Hard July 25: 126. Occupation August 9: 141: I Build My Man of Straw August 24: 156. Badgermination
July 10: 111. Ballade of Inner Conflict July 26: 127. Aiming for a Mild Atypia August 10: 142. Zeitgeist August 25: 157. Badger Day at Black Rock
July 11: 112. Upon Smooshing an Ant
Walking Across the Kitchen Table
During Breakfast
July 27: 128: Summery Judgment August 11: 143. Year of the Rat August 26: 158. Badger of Honor
July 12: 113. No Laughing Matter July 28: 129. The Six-Month-iversary of My Drug Addiction August 12: 144. Gross August 27: 159. Coming to a Badger End
July 13: 114. Dart July 29: 130. The March of Time August 13: 145. Are These the Dog Days? August 28: 160. Stinking Badgers
July 14: 115. My Right to a Speedy Trial July 30: 131: Penultimatum August 14: 146. The Summer Concert Series August 29: 161. Not Badger, Not Badger at All
July 15: 116. Our Wild Kingdom July 31: 132: Flipping the Page August 15: 147. Our Friend, the Insect August 30: 162. Taking Stock
July 16: 117. Under Mid-July Skies     August 31: 163. Rounding Corners

September 2020
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October 2020
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September 1: 164. Upward, Downward, All About September 16: 179. From "Qi" to Shining "Qi" October 1: 194. A Disadvantage to Invisibility October 16: 209. Upon Utilizing an Official Ballot Collection Box
September 2: 165. My Narrow-Mindedness September 17: 180. Great Caesar's Ghost October 2: 195. When Push Comes to Shove October 17: 210. Arse Poetica
September 3: 166. The Mice Capades September 18: 181. Horrible Timing October 3: 196. Progress Report October 18: 211. On the Face of It
September 4: 167. 7 - 6 = 1 September 19: 182. Eye Rhyme October 4: 197. Late Night Procedures October 19: 212. Twenty-Five Thousand Words
September 5: 168. Twenty Thousand September 20: 183: Giant Insects of Literature October 5: 198. Not Quite a Reflection on Mortality October 20: 213. Number, Please
September 6: 169. Heatwave Memories September 21: 184. Interstitial October 6: 199. Slippery October 21: 214. Drowse, Drowse, Drowse
September 7: 170. And the Subsequent Wildfires September 22: 185. Hex October 7: 200. Bicentennial October 22: 215. Always the Wimp
September 8: 171. Again? September 23: 186. Getting Away From it All October 8: 201. Recent Developments October 23: 216. So Many Numbers!
September 9: 172. A Common Dilemma September 24: 187. Yet Another New Leaf October 9: 202. Two-Oh-Two October 24: 217. Our Friend, the Fungus
September 10: 173. Arguing With Myself September 25: 188. From Behind a Plexiglass Wall October 10: 203. Not Ready for Prime Time October 25: 218. Let's Talk About the Weather
September 11: 174. Abstracting September 26: 189. Permafrost October 11: 204. A Pony Poem October 26: 219. Our Turn for the Apocalypse
September 12: 175. Breaking the Pattern September 27: 190. Putting the "Tum" in "Autumn" October 12: 205. The Sum of My Parts October 27: 220. Mad Monster Party
September 13: 176. Chocolate Pumpkin Pie September 28: 191. October on Thursday? Really? October 13: 206. Squirrel Roller Skates October 28: 221. 'Tis the Season
September 14: 177. Dandelion Fluff September 29: 192. Marching On October 14: 207. Rocktober October 29: 222. Triple Double
September 15: 178. Evidentiary September 30: 193: As Smooth as Air October 15: 208. Fish Skeletons Strewn Across the Lawn October 30: 223. Spooky, SoCal Style
      October 31: 224. Sitting This One Out

November 2020
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December 2020
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November 1: 225. Time Changing November 16: 240. Publicity December 1: 255. Skill and Daring December 16: 270: Why I Don't Have Any Sort of a Pet
November 2: 226. Evening Prayer November 17: 241. Warming Up December 2: 256. Two to the Eighth December 17: 271. Why I Don't Have a Girlfriend
November 3: 227. Intricate Systems November 18: 242. All About Blood December 3: 257. Hiber Nation December 18: 272. Polka Through the Past
November 4: 228. Cha Cha Cha November 19: 243. Tripping Over Milestones December 4: 258. Woe, Alas, Et Cetera December 19: 273. Heading Toward Seventy-Five Percent
November 5: 229. Buyer's Remorse November 20: 244. So Suspenseful! December 5: 259. With a Song in My Heart December 20: 274. Home for the Holidays
November 6: 230. Fictive November 21: 245. So Many Celebrations! December 6: 260. Thirty-One Thousand December 21: 275. The Greater Sunstop
November 7: 231. Looking Forward November 22: 246. At the Actual Eight-Month Mark December 7: 261. Penguins Are a Squirrel's Best Friend December 22: 276. Bicyclops
November 8: 232. Close Up November 23: 247. Thirteen Times Nineteen December 8: 262. Spider Centaurs December 23: 277. The Iguana Arts Ensemble
November 9: 233. Ranting Again November 24: 248. The Meek Will Inherit December 9: 263. To Lunch or Not to Lunch? December 24: 278. Much Music &
                Not a Creature is Stirring
November 10: 234. Rock Talk November 25: 249. Pie Day December 10: 264. December in Southern California December 25: 279. Another Friday Morning
November 11: 235. Autumn November 26: 250. Blue Sky at Morning December 11: 265. Whim December 26: 280. Start the Countdown!
November 12: 236. Sunny and Cold November 27: 251. Time December 12: 266. Why I Forget My Dreams December 27: 281. Up the Wrong Tree
November 13: 237. How About a Nightcap? November 28: 252. Words and Deeds December 13: 267. For My Next Trick December 28: 282. My Current Symptoms
November 14: 238. And I'm Not Even Doing NaNoWriMo November 29: 253. Dynamic Tension December 14: 268. Thirty Years Almost December 29: 283. Internal Communications
November 15: 239. Novelistic November 30: 254. I Meant to Do That December 15: 269. Why I Don't Have a Cat December 30: 284. External Considerations
      December 31: 285. No "Spectives," Please

January 2021
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February 2021
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January 1: 286. Irresolutions January 17: 302. Blow Away the Smoke February 1: 317. Groundhogging's Eve February 15: 331. Not Romantic Enough?
January 2: 287. The Day After January 18: 303. Public Service February 2: 318. The Wheel Turns February 16: 332. Pandemic Jury Duty
January 3: 288. And the Day After That January 19: 304. Back-ups February 3: 319. Bicycling This Morning February 17: 333. Enough with Romance
January 4: 289. The Trouble With Brisk Weather January 20: 305. Conscious Stricken February 4: 320. Oh, the Huge Manatees February 18: 334. Interiors
January 5: 290. At Dinnertime January 21: 306. Do Numbers Crunch? February 5: 321. Ultrasonic Age February 19: 335. A Miracle of Modern Science
January 6: 291. Eternal Childhood January 22: 307. Back to Work February 6: 322. Magic February 20: 336. And on Top of That
January 7: 292. All the Ding-Dong Day January 23: 308. Precipitation Trophy February 7: 323. Science February 21: 337. Into the Home Stretch
January 8: 293. The Wait of the World January 24: 309. Unmoved February 8: 324. Blame February 22: 338. Unless I Keep On...
January 9: 294. A Bucket to the Face January 25: 310. Into the Wind February 9: 325. Happy Imminent Birthday February 23: 339. Internal Polling
January 10: 295. Flame January 26: 311. Step One February 10: 326. A Trifle February 24: 340. Motion to Repress
January 11: 296. Big Round Number Alert January 27: 312. Marshmallow Meringue February 11: 327. So Many Anniversaries February 25: 341. Defining Our Terms
January 12: 297. A Puzzlement January 28: 313. Living Dangerously February 12: 328. A Second Big Romance Arc February 26: 342. Pre-Opening Arguments
January 13: 298. Untethered January 29: 314. Skating February 13: 329. Affection's Object February 27: 343. On the One Hand
January 14: 299. Jousting With Hummingbirds January 30: 315. Upstate February 14: 330. Feline Romance February 28: 344. A Brief Interruption
January 15: 300. My Constant Equivocating January 31: 316. The Wheel of Fortune    
January 16: 301. The New      

March 2021
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April 2021
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March 1: 345. The Prosecution Speaks...
                Unless He's the Defense
March 17: 361. Mistrial April 1: 376. A Little Swim April 16: 391. Side Effects
March 2: 346. Neither Defendant Nor Plaintiff March 18: 362. Judgment Day, Part 1 April 2: 377. All Ashore April 17: 392. Finishing Touches
March 3: 347. Circular Arguments March 19: 363. Judgment Day, Part 2 April 3: 378. Recriminations April 18: 393. Getting My Second Shot
March 4: 348. A Little Gamesmanship March 20: 364. Judgment Day, Part 3 April 4: 379. Suppertime April 19: 394. Stove in
March 5: 349. A Festive Atmosphere March 21: 365. Which Doesn't End It April 5: 380. Multiple Milestones April 20: 395. Spackled
March 6: 350. Jurisdiction March 22: 366. Welcoming My New Microbes April 6: 381. The End of a Lovely Day April 21: 396. A Dozen More Days
March 7: 351. The Defense...Or Whatever March 23: 367. So Much Going On! April 7: 382. A Teachable Moment April 22: 397. Hearing From My Agents
March 8: 352. The Badger's Theory March 24: 368. Stirring Up Dust April 8: 383. Tidying Up April 23: 398. Four Hundred's Coming
March 9: 353. Getting to the Meat March 25: 369. Triple Triple April 9: 384. I'm a Stranger Here Myself April 24: 399. Neither Promise Nor Threat
March 10: 354. The First Witness March 26: 370. Advancing Decrepitude April 10: 385. Inventory April 25: 400. Tilt-A-Whirl
March 11: 355. An Inside Scoop March 27: 371. Looking Forward April 11: 386. Counting Down April 26: 401. Bipedal vs. Bicycle
March 12: 356. Ode to the Creatures Who
                  Live in My Brain
March 28: 372. Renovations April 12: 387. Meanwhile April 27: 402. Doctor's Orders
March 13: 357. Cross Examination March 29: 373. Wattle and Daub April 13: 388. Mechanical Difficulties April 28: 403. Incompetent, Irrelevent, and Immaterial
March 14: 358. Order in the Court! March 30: 374. An Impartial Assessment April 14: 389. Roll With It April 29: 404. D-Day
March 15: 359. Take the Witness March 31: 375. Walk and Talk April 15: 390. If It's Not One Thing... April 30: 405. Big Plans
March 16: 360. Court of Appeal      

May 2021
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June 2021
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May 1: 406. Forty-Eight Thousand May 12: 417. Feeding the Hand That Bites You May 22: 427. Not the Holiday Weekend June 1: 437. Taking Stock
May 2: 407. A Cautionary Tale May 13: 418. Hecklers' Veto May 23: 428. Jumping to Conclusions June 2: 438. So...Many...Words
May 3: 408. Incrementation May 14: 419. I'm a Terrible Person May 24: 429. My Catch Phrase June 3: 439. So Much to Do!
May 4: 409. A Clean-Up in All Departments May 15: 420. Biting More Than May be Chewable May 25: 430. Time for Tea June 4: 440. "I Would Prefer Not To"
May 5: 410. Revisions May 16: 421. At Ease May 26: 431. On the Other Hand... June 5: 441. Looking Forward
May 6: 411. Information May 17: 422. Never Satisfied May 27: 432. The Final Challenge June 6: 442. Looking Sideways
May 7: 412. Whaddaya Talk? May 18: 423. Gelotology May 28: 433. One Simple Step June 7: 443. Looking Back
May 8: 413. The Unobtrusive Polka May 19: 424. Reaching Out May 29: 434. The Bottom Line  
May 9: 414. Character Development May 20: 425. Stretching Exercises May 30: 435. Single Digits Ahead  
May 10: 415. Not From That Area Code, But-- May 21: 426. A Hike May 31: 436. Continuous Transition  
May 11: 416. Reason to Shrink Further