Mercurial

All the papers, and my Internet astrologer
warned me about these days,
these uphill climbs to scant reward,
a view of a dull valley and another slope
to climb.
Usually I like things retro,
a round-toed pump, a seamed stocking,
a martini or Manhattan in a wide, chilled glass.
But this Mercury thing
is for the birds,
not even them, poor things,
perched like the rest of us
on a limb about to crack.