Lockdown, An Ode to COVID 19

Alone, unsure,
We hide in our homes
Our fortresses against an invisible enemy.

Society in shutdown
To flatten the curve
To keep us safe.

We wait
We watch the screen
Reliant on technology.

With loved ones
Friends and family alike
And the greater world.

Together
We’re all in this together
But I feel so alone.

Shortages
Of loo paper
Of social interaction.

Shortages
Of hand sanitisers
Of physical interaction.

Shortages
Of face masks
Of human interaction.

Skin hunger
A new syndrome
Brought on by rationed tactile intimacy.

Cabin fever
Window twitching
A by-product of social distancing.

ZOOM meetings
Isolation choirs
Virtual performances.

On-line living
Singing, chatting
Exercising, meditating.

On-line shopping
Home deliveries
For body, mind and soul.

Longing
To gather with friends,
For coffee, picnics, parties.

Our new normalcy
What have we lost?
What will we gain?

Lizzie, May 2020