This morning my three year old sunshine
called on FaceTime from a continent away.
Appuch, have this coffee, she said proffering the cup
Appuch, her moniker for me, her homage to an alien lingo.

Appuch is so far away, her dad gently tried not to spoil her party,
But she is made of sterner stuff. It's 'pretend coffee', she declared.
Sure, said I, love to have coffee and some pretend cake too!!.
Yeaaaah, She crooned, here take this big piece of cake, Appuch.

Nuggets of truth, hidden from wise and learned
Revealed to infants so new to the words.
Why! The whole life had been a parade of pretends
As far back as I can recall. Pretend being the desirable other.

Pandemic pushed our life to pretend wellness,
Pretend our friendships are intimate as ever,
Pretend the world is fair and robust as ever,
Pretend God is always at hand, in case of emergency.

Pretend the nature will always be indulgent
Pretend the prolific pollution forever be forgiven
Did pretensions nourish its ineludible nemesis,
Did Pretensions bring an unstoppable pandemic, punishing weather.

Pompous pretentious proffered for long, gather devotees,
Till irreverent realities spike at moments unexpected.
rebuff realities all you want, bellow fantasies all day long,
You need the innocence of a child to revel in pretends.


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