From Poetic Asides:  “For today’s prompt, take the phrase “The Trouble Is (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of the poem, and then, write the poem. Example titles may include: “The Trouble Is You,” “The Trouble Is Figuring Out How to End This Poem,” or “The Trouble Is What I’m Always Finding.”

The Trouble is Common Sense

when you have to tell federal agents
at work in another country
they should not sleep with prostitutes
(and by all means fail to pay for the rendered service)
the news isn’t a scandal
rather another benchmark
to the widespread reach
of this pandemic.

oh, you’ve seen the symptoms:
paying your mistress with campaign election funds
holding hot coffee between your legs
a wide stance in the men’s room
driving on the freeway and reading email
wearing pajamas in public
texting photos of your genitals
operating a ponzi scheme
marrying someone you’ve only known for a month.

the trouble with common sense
is that it’s no longer common.