Dumped

until today,
my summer coat
without buttons,
our burn barrel fires
and a few hand-outs
have been enough
to survive this
pandemic.

then
an essential government
garbage truck
dumped,
crushed,
hauled
away the non-essential
man
like so much refuse,
that now,
even little red riding hood
admits life is darkest
from inside the wolf.

we’ve been inoculated,
but never cured.