What a Tradeoff!

 

 

 

A tradeoff worth examining

But taken for granted:

Freedom and security

But towards the latter slanted.

 

Taking away my freedom

So that I can be secure

And this displacement making me

Less free more and more.

 

Because I am feeling scared

I would rather feel safe,

The emphasis being on feeling

Hence, a faulty base.

 

It’s like opting for shadows

The bigger the better,

My pretending it is oh so real

Makes me a trend setter.

 

Imagine you are a millionaire

What can you buy?

What can you change

Each time you fantasize?

 

Feeling truly matters

Only until the reality kicks in

And your reality is your reality

Not what you are feeling.

 

Freedom does not matter

If one doesn’t feel safe

And the Government runs free

With this as its base.

 

Enter taxes and restrictions

To give the assurance,

Government will take care of you

With minimum insurance.

 

Accountants and actuaries

Are brought on board

And with their professional stats

We begin to feel secure.

 

The banking system

They too get in on the act

And in their voracious vaults

Our little become trapped.

 

They show us no interest

Neither in money nor attention

And Government exacerbates this

By taxing our pension.

 

It is all for our freedom

As well as our security

And we daily sing their praises

In our absurdity.

 

What a wonderful tradeoff

We are all enjoying!

The chance to feel safe

While our freedoms are dying.

 

 

The vaccine, you’d remember

Was one such case:

As citizens we were free to take it

But forced to make haste.

 

It was not imperative

Since we were given two options:

Either take the vaccine

Or be severely sanctioned.

 

If you do you die

And if you don’t you’re damned,

That’s Hobson’s choice for you;

That was Government’s plan.

 

What a tradeoff that was

If you see what I mean,

The only thing better than reality

Are fantasies and dreams.

 

Can’t get money to buy land

But you could to buy a car,

Never for a business enterprise

Unless you’re already a star.

Birthright for a little soup

With no paddle up the creek

And the dubious tradeoffs continue:

Blessing lost via deceit!

 

 

Government in hand with

Insurance companies and banks,

And all we get in exchange

Is an inaudible thanks.

 

Stewart Russell © July 19, 2023

 

Uh Get de Vaccine

 

 

Uh get de vaccine

And I didn’t feel a stick,

I wasn’t in no long line

And I didn’t get sick.

 

Uh get de vaccine

And with no side effect,

No fever or giddy head

At least, not yet.

 

Uh get de vaccine

And it was very quick,

It was quicker I tell you

Than pressing a switch.

 

Uh get de vaccine

You don’t believe me?

Do the same thing I did

And you would see.

 

 

Uh get de vaccine

And I didn’t leave home,

My wife was skeptical

So, I get it alone.

 

Uh get de vaccine

You must understand,

Just like everybody else

I get it in my hand.

 

Uh get de vaccine

Yes, the one from India,

Online I registered

For the “AstraZeneca”.

 

Uh get de vaccine

And that is a true fact,

It is easy if you register

On WhatsApp.

 

Uh get de vaccine

And no side effects as yet,

I get the AstraZeneca vaccine

Over the Internet.

 

Uh get de vaccine

It was ZOOM-ed to me,

You could try it too

If like me yuh crazy.

 

Stewart Russell © February 24, 2021

 

The Vaccine

 

 

Almost two-thirds into 2020

Way in above our heads,

Corona virus came a knocking

“Hundreds of thousands” dead.

 

Struggling for a vaccine

In the shortest possible time

The race is on in many countries:

Trying to be the first to find.

 

Ordinarily it would take a while

Like five to seven years

But in just a matter of months

Vaccines suddenly appear.

 

 

Russia and China and others

And most recently the USA

That said it was not possible

Yet they have one today.

 

Other countries were criticized

For circumventing the process

But the mighty US of A

Is already running tests.

 

Clearly, they must be ahead

In any vaccine race

And given the billions to be accrued

All others must be outpaced.

 

It will take billions to process

But the profits will be great

So, the first authentic vaccine

Must be from the United States.

 

 

After all, they have the best:

The best of everything

And at the end of the competition,

Their praises we must sing.

 

The best scientists and doctors

And the best leaders also,

And when they produce the vaccine

The whole world will know.

 

All else will be a sham and a fake

Only one vaccine will work,

It must come from the USA:

The land of the greatest experts.

 

The vaccine is almost here,

It is coming in record time

And Corona virus will be no more

At least, for the first to get in line.

 

After all, 7 billion is a lot

First come must be served first

And those who have no means,

That would be their curse.

 

 

Watch out for the vaccine

It’s coming to a clinic near you,

That is if you matter, though,

Don’t worry; that’s just my view.

 

The vaccine may have originated

The same time as the virus

But since I am a conspiracy theorist

In me don’t put your trust.

 

When next you get a virus

Make sure you get the vaccine

I do not think it is too far away

Before we reach that scene.

 

Stewart Russell © August 2020