Oh, Babe, What Would You Say

Writing poems specifically about the plague doesn't seem like something I'd do, assuming I'd write any poems at all. On the other hand, writing anything not touched by it at such a time doesn't seem right either. As it stands, I think Situation, below is at least subliminally about it and that's all there's been. I haven't decided if it's any good or not yet.
It's been quiet here because I did an 11-week residency on The David Green Show, demonstrating (I thought) how much R2, 3 or 5 would benefit from paying me exorbitantly to take up a programme on their schedule. I've not heard from them yet.
As expected, Lockdown hasn't made too much difference to me. While liking a concert, an occasional race meeting or being able to visit family, the settee with books, records and crossword is my ideal
default position so the upgrade of the cushions and a new cover to lie on have been timely investments. Proust has been good company and in a few weeks' time I will be able to take up the Monty Python 'Summarize Proust' challenge but not within their stringent time limit. But, for the first time in 12 weeks, I've been out and met somebody else and talked not via computer or telephone to someone who is not a neighbour or shop worker. I'm lucky in living not far from places that others might be grateful of being able to walk.
Portsmouth Poetry Society have done good work in continuing with their planned programme by e-mail. Once Proust is finished, I will go back to the Thom Gunn book and hope to persevere with what I think is missing from the catalogue, the 'full-length' study even if it's a shame that nobody better qualified than me is doing it.
I understand that online chess has experienced a boom in recent months, being a 'sport' that can be played without fear of infection. I've been very much a part of it but didn't contribute to the boom because I was there already. Sunday afternoon tournaments on Lichess to the soundtrack of Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the 70's R2 Show have become a regular date and last Sunday's top 10% finish somehow fluked my best result yet without playing particularly well. My rating needs to be above 1800 on there and that's where I like to keep it but I sank like a stone to below 1700 in recent weeks, seeming to forget that one needs to play with one's eyes open. It's been a hard road back but I'm 1799 for 5 minute games on Lichess now with all other ratings saved at something respectable.
The new album by The Magnetic Fields is due shortly so maybe that's the next job to do here.