A Pandemic Saga

Wake, Sleep, Wake, Sleep –

End to End, Anxieties seep

Starve, Eat, Starve, Eat —

Do we have bread? What about meat?

We can’t all hide in homes by the lake;

Leaders shrug “Let them eat cake.”

Limit the trips they are allowed

Not where people gather in crowds.

Work, Rest, Work, Rest —

Shelter in your nest; surely they jest!

Half of us are frontline daily

The other half is blind to disparity.

Shop on-line, Expect delivery at morning light

By people; not elves scurrying throughout the night —

Essential workers providing food,

And medicine and care — Doing Good

For the rest of the human race;

Standing strong, staring death in the face.

Laugh, Cry, Laugh, Cry,

Some believe, some deny.

Test all, Test few

Test old, Test anew.

There must be Godly reasons why

Some live; too many die.

Health systems fail,

Families wail.

Laws shutter small money-makers;

Covid rewards big money-takers.

Lockdown downtown,

Stand-down uptown,

Time for revolt is near;

Burdens are too heavy to bear.

Accept, Reject, Accept, Reject –

We are shamed for seeming inept at

Virtual death with virtual funerals,

Virtual pain watching virtual burials,

Virtual joy in the midst of suffering —

Virtual courtship and Virtual wedding;

Virtual school, Virtual play;

Children resist their virtual day.

On-line check-up; On-line church -

All powers have left us in the lurch.

We adapt bit by bit to notions

Of distant ceremonies and celebrations —

On-screen meals with family members;

Hug a friend? We can’t remember

When last we had that privilege —

Definitely before the Covid carnage.

Stop, Go, Stop, Go —

Vaccines are coming. Wait, they’ll be slow.

Numbness hides how we actually feel,

More so than masks we wear for real.

When will this all end?

On whom can we depend?

We have today, that’s all we know.

There’s still hope — possibly tomorrow.

The Image in the Mirror

I looked in the mirror

And saw my twelve- year old self –

Unlined face, Innocent eyes,

Trusting smile, life still on the shelf;

Another time I saw my mother

Looking back at me;

Both persons were the same –

I wondered how that could be.

Then they appeared again;

Ghosts – Mirage – The past, the future,

I smiled back at one and then the other.

Both of them were me.

Turnstiles of Life

Turnstiles of Life – rollercoaster or merry-go-round.

Doors that lead to other doors –

Spiraling staircases through open floors –

Showcasing choices; Next choice is yours;

Contentment or disappointment, smile or frown,

Choice lies before you, up, down or around.

Trapdoors, skylights, closings and openings,

Darkness into darkness; light into light,

Moody clouds from grey through white;

Day gently chases away the night

Signaling reminders of beginnings and endings:

Sunrise, sunset, mornings and evenings;

Sun warming the flesh – we shudder in delight.

Rain washes the earth, mingling with our tears;

Thunder and lightning evoke our fears.

We welcome rest as the night nears,

Then dawn brings day with the new light

Or so it should, or not; either way it’s alright.

The Story of Life

Life is where Life unfolds

Telling its own timeless story

Of happenings and events yet untold

Still, as always, in the present the glory.

Life is how Life itself reveals -

Marching, wending forever forward,

Bringing joy in peals and squeals

Of laughter now and moving onward –

Blending in the pain and sorrow

Drawing tears along the way,

Relieved by the promise of tomorrow,

Yet Life is really about just today.

From Strangers to Friends

How do we move from strangers to friends?

A shy smile? A bold step? It truthfully depends

On whether we wish to build bridges or walls

Or upon whose heart the spirit calls;

We determine how the first encounter ends.

Do we retreat to a familiar time and place

Or open the gathering to create a space

To be filled by that stranger – someone new –

Someone not of our crew or hue,

Whom we can welcome by warm embrace?

Show ourselves as brave enough to explore

The possibilities of an open door,

Of open minds and open hearts,

Dispelling myths that keep us apart:

Friend greeting friend; strangers no more.

Back to the Top

A Pandemic Saga

The Image in the Mirror

Turnstiles of Life

The Story of Life

From Strangers to Friends

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