The Death of Local News

Having read about what happened,
Somewhere, somewhere, and somewhere else,

Translated from accounts of those
Who experienced things themselves,

You have your reactions. You form
Your opinions, even in bed,

Even as a half-invalid
To whom none of those things happened,

And then you eagerly read more,
Now hoping for certain results.

Sometimes, it seems like you’re getting
The results you were hoping for,

And the world seems more promising,
Even if your world’s not improved.

Other times, it seems like nothing
Is going as you would have hoped,

And the world seems more menacing,
Even if your world is no worse.

It goes up and down, back and forth,
While in your world you get notice

Some powerful force is coming
For you, for your income or health,

Your family, your life itself.
This you ignore. What can you do?

You go back to reading reports
Of results from worlds beyond you.