Commercial virus

Commercial virus

I surf channels to pass the plentiful waves of time

Commercials galore, all COVID-19-related now

like it’s the latest Madison Avenue fad

“We’re in this together,” says the voice actor in a somber tone

Images flash of high-spirited humans, doing their part

A medley of amateur footage gives an illusion

of unity, of brand loyalty, of subliminal product-pushing

How did they produce these 30-second ads so fast?

as if market research forecasted this pandemic

Those Wall Street schmucks invested wisely,

capitalizing on our sorrows, our visible fears

While we collect our pittance

and regulated rolls of toilet paper,

they’re wiping their asses with ticker tape

Michelle Carollo and Raj Tawney, New York aprile 2020