Pralines: Poems and Reflections

By M.M. Casanova Jr.

The first chapter of this book is a collection of poems and thoughts based on the Novell Corona Virus 19 pandemic that originated from Wuhan China. There are also references to the pandemic throughout the other chapters. The rest of the book is about personal experiences, family relationships, work relationships, life issues, political views,and importantly spiritual views. Throughout the book, the poems and reflections, are sprinkled with biblical versus which I find comforting in these times of uncertainty and the devastation of human life and hope the reader finds comfort in these powerful scriptures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664130319

M.M. Casanova Jr.

M.M. Casanova, Jr. is a native of San Antonio, Texas. He was educated in San Antonio private schools and graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He has a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Texas – Rio Grande , and is a Certified Public Accountant. He currently lives in the Rio Grande Valley with his wife Carmen and they have four children, Manuel III, Andrea, Veronica, and Anissa.

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Copyright © 2020 by M.M. Casanova, Jr..

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Rev. date: 10/21/2020

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Dedicated to my family and friends

CONTENTS

Introduction

The Invisible Enemy

Economics

Virtual Family

Shopping, Movies, Eating

Work Stuff

Piña Colada

Border Misery

Land of the Free and Home of the Brave

Divine Guidance

Municipalities

More Reading

Europe Is Closed

Hometown Blues

Tourism and Us

March Madness

Buddies

Homeless and Surviving

The Sanctity of Yard Work

Birthday Parties and BBQ

Exercise and Health

Arts and Crafts, the Past, and Free Advice

Arts and Crafts

The Simple Box

Fourth Quarter

Everyone Has a Winter

Take the Edge Off

Aggressive

Need to Have Fun

The Tree with Initials

Music Lessons Lost

Memories

Heroes

The Race

The Evolution of Debt

Quicksand

I Prefer a Truck

The Fight in You

All in the Eyes

A Small Library

Two Different Homes

The Invisible Hourglass

Big Decisions

Family and Relationships

Pralines

Tell Momma I’m Home

Daughter’s Broken Heart

Son’s Broken Heart

Next Door

Moving Away

Father-Daughter Time

Family Breakdown

Father-Son Time

Ten People

Grandpa

Unique Compassion

Trust

Daddy’s Stories

Mom’s Way

Apologies

Spears

FaceTime

Work-Related

Coworkers

Ties and White Stuffy Shirts

I Don’t Want to Worry about My Job

Time Off

Miserable Day

Your Job

Minimum Wage

The Boss

Life Issues

Every Day Is a Great Day

Familiar Song

Your Eyes Tell Me Everything

Your Words Tell Me Nothing

Battery Life

Body Changes

Running Against the Wind

Everything Is Temporary

Golf Clubs and Fishing Poles

The Blue Bus

Political Views

Politics

Veterans

Hmm, Spanish

Unbelievable

Illegal Children

Polk and Polka

Heaven and Earth

Mustard Seed

Peace at Home

Angels

We Are Suspended in the Universe

You and God

The Prophet Job

The Camel and the Needle

Lost Souls

The Pope

Carrying the Cross

Don’t Take Away People’s Bark

Late in Life

The Boxer

INTRODUCTION

The first chapter of this book is a collection of poems and thoughts based on the novel coronavirus 19 pandemic that originated from Wuhan, China. There are other references to the pandemic throughout the other chapters. It was first reported that there was an outbreak of the virus in December 2019. No one is sure where it originated exactly in Wuhan, but the Chinese government publicly stated that it started at a seafood wet market, not in Wuhan’s biolaboratories as suspected.

No one could guess the devastation and collateral damage this pathogen was to have on human life. The human-to-human transmission was quick, global, and debilitating on economies. The virus has not been contained as of this writing. There have been over 300,000 deaths worldwide and over 90,000 deaths in the Unites States. Included in the deaths are numerous health workers who were on the front lines, trying to save patients’ lives and in the process, lost their own lives.

The rest of the book is about personal experiences, family relationships, work relationships, life issues, political views, and importantly, spiritual views. Throughout the book, the poems and reflections are sprinkled with biblical verses that I find comforting in these times of uncertainty and the devastation of human life. I hope the reader finds comfort in these powerful scriptures.

We pray for a vaccine solution quickly to rid this evil disease, and pray for life to return to normal or an agreeable new normal. And for the ability to reconnect with family and friends.

All biblical scriptures are taken from the King James Bible Version.

1

The Invisible Enemy

ECONOMICS

No money, no job, no insurance, a lot of poison floating around.

Is it the beginning of the end of the world? So much panic growing.

It feels that way, feels like an Orwell movie. Exacerbated.

I’m not the star of this movie because I have no virus yet.

The movie has been going on for months, and we have

Not reached the middle of the first wave? How many incubators?

These deadly molecules have surpassed Ebola in ninety-three days and

Surpassed the cases and deaths from SARS and Zika, and

Keep going and going with this infectious curve extending.

The CDC, a venerated institution, now regularly questioned.

The economy continues to free fall fast like no other time.

Got a job—got money—disease-producing agents in the air.

Unemployment at 15 percent, was