the TV flickers
look at this picture
a doctor in a ducking stool
poised above the viral pool
masked & aproned
by a grateful nation
sorry for the technical glitch
sometimes medicine’s a bitch
but she’s no snitch
she’s a wise woman not a witch
she’s braver than that
and anyway, PPE doesn’t stretch to a hat
whatever
there’s no such thing as bad weather
just bad clothes
as well she knows
and as this thing goes
so does she
they film the whole ducking ceremony
and don’t worry
she’s more loved than ever
they’re all like: come live with me and be my love
and don’t forget to double glove

meanwhile
in a galaxy far, far away
cluster one clips cluster two
the system gets busted
everything and everyone flung out & dusted
spiralling off on a whole new adventure
in this cold and glittering universal architecture