The joy was Malthusian

But I'm getting ahead of myself

If that's possible

Some predilections were renowned 

For their escapist allusions

I don't mean a Steve McQueen movie either 

I'm thinking Voltaire's Candide

And the earthquake in Spain

But there I go again 

Now, the reality of the situation is such

That the neither here nor there 

Were ambiguous 

They were most concrete 

But the cracks

Oh, the cracks

Please consult Zinkovich

RE cracks and stress