Day One: Bats And Coronavirus/General Bat Poems

-Maggs Vibo (She says of this:

Here is my bat poem which is currently at the ‘Quarantine Creations’ art show with The Perkinson Center for the Arts and Education in Virginia: https://www.perkinsoncenter.org/current-show

Read “Scapegoating in the Silver Age” by Margaret Viboolsittiseri in the anthology The Mouth of a Lion: Apocalyptic Visual Poetry edited by James Knight @jkbirdking of Steel Incisors (page 20). This anthology of visual poetry with teeth is loaded with art and commentary by 30 visual poets from the US, UK, Canada and beyond. Available in deluxe hardback: https://www.lulu.com/en/gb/shop/james-knight/the-mouth-of-a-lion-deluxe-edition/hardcover/product-6dzr46.html?page=1&pageSize=4 or full colour paperback: https://www.lulu.com/en/gb/shop/james-knight/the-mouth-of-a-lion/paperback/product-k72wr2.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Text Reads:
Scapegoating in the Silver Age

burned edges of a Tyndale scripture
the precipice
of Agnon
horrors of Dachau
a painting with horns wrapped in red cloth
blocking coughs, a goat, atonement and Leviticus
my wish for us, that it is driven off
without persecuting a lantern or
blaming Pandora’s box
for a woman getting milk
didn’t start this ilk and
bloodletting nor confessing will expel this virus
if quarreling were the cure, we would never fall ill
still, we lay blame and shame on she who would use an alabaster jar of perfume
we assume vampire bats in caves and smashing great Auk eggs, but blame isn’t science
it’s burning a witch, consulting a Ouija board, piling it high, blaming Ono
when Lennon died
avoiding a meal with Munslow or a flight with patient Zero
punishing a pangolin as a whipping boy
or Ismay for a sinking shame
it’s totally absurd to state that
heretics
criminals
beggars
lepers
the poor
devils
gods
atheists
the sins of the father
the holy mother
or whatever
rejected dejected
we can lay
this blame game on, but
none of it is a cure

-Maggs Vibo

“The Vampire Bat”
(Raanana, August 28, 2008)

A soft trilling in the top leaves of tall trees
As a tiny vampire bat skims the high night air
Over the path meandering slowly
Through the moonless forest.
A humid volume of moving shadow
Quickly crosses the brow
Of a man walking below alone,
Almost palpable
Like the gentle touch of one’s own ghosts.

(c) Mike Stone, 2008

 

Bios And Links

-Mike Stone

was born in Columbus Ohio, USA, in 1947. He graduated from Ohio State University with a BA in Psychology. He has served in both the US Army (stationed in Germany) and the Israeli Defense Forces. Mike has been writing poetry since he was a student at OSU. He has published seven books of poetry, a book of essays, and four science fiction novels. He had supported his writing habit by working as a computer programmer, specializing in information security. Now he is retired. Mike moved to Israel in 1978 and has lived in Ra’anana ever since. He is married to his beloved wife, Talma, has three wonderful sons, and eight precious grandchildren.