free hugs for sale

 maybe some of us
are still holding on to this idea
that things can go back to the way
they used to be
but I am not one of them

when the dead
take up residence in your house
just to tell you to prepare 
for how bad things are going to get
you know it is over

dead war veterans telling you about
world war 3 and crying
     yes ghosts can weep

the world should be weeping now
but they are in shock
bioweapons
nuclear war
water shortages
food shortages
death and more death

presidents are just presidents
always men in offices
hiding secrets and pretending to be strong

we are all weak
we all make mistakes
we all pretend that things are better
than they are

the reality is that we all knew
this world couldn't be sustained
and now it is too late
so we argue with each other

but that one stoner from college
is still standing on the corner
holding up a free hugs sign
he is an oddity now
we don't know if he might have the virus
if he secretly loves trump or biden
or if he is vaccine or anti-vaccine
but we know enough to know
that the love he gives
isn't allowed today

just hate
and the economy
is important now

nothing is free anymore
our souls are paid for
our rights are just thoughts
that have been bought
our feelings have been regulated
to the land of fantasy

so now the fantasy is death