Sunday Morning Post (V.2, #30) - The Masking Question

To mask or not to mask; that is the question

Whether it is nobler to heed the warnings of our local squires

To wear the covering of our mouth and nostrils

For the good of ourselves and our brethren;

Or believe the rantings of a mad king*

Who cannot make up his mind of what is good for us;

Except for what is good for him.

Yet we have to consider the good fortunes of ourselves and our beloveds

'Tis true the mask makes our breath very warm against its cloth

And many of us do fear that we will not thrive if we wear it for long

For if we do not thrive, we whither and expire.

Yet we see many of our brethren who heed not the squires

For they believe that the mask intrudes on their self,

And this argument proves they think only of their selves and not us,

Their brethren.

The others are easily offended when reminded of the squires’ warnings

They act with great anxiety and threaten all who repeat the warning

For they believe they are right to follow the mad musings of his excellency

They cannot see that the threat is not just to us, but falls back on themselves.

Sad.

So, one and all must follow their own conscious,

With hope that common sense rules over all

In protecting ourselves we protect others, 

In protecting others, we protect all.

Consider this, my brethren, 

Do not see a masking order as a mandate of the realm

But a good, wise and prudent action for our mutual safety and survival

Consider this action a small price to pay to keep our freedom

When others have sacrificed all in our struggle

Wearing a mask should not be a question at all.

*This bard has consulted with his solicitors on the legal question of doubting the king’s sanity.  The solicitors have responded that, while the bard does not possess a medical degree which would allow him to render a behavioral health diagnosis, he is well within his rights as a free man to render a layman’s opinion and, as such, not in danger of violating the Lord Goldwater Rule.  That said, the king is nuts!

(Thank you for reading and please forgive my indulgence.)