I always use writing to cope with a crisis – I wrote this poem last night and it gave me hope when I realized how much love is really out there.
Pandemic Musings – a Poem
The world stopped spinning suddenly
And here I sit (not patiently)
I watch the death toll rise each day
And hope my nerves won’t start to fray
I’m not equipped to help or serve
Except to flatten out that curve
And finding out I’m elderly
Was quite a shock to youthful me
I’ve gathered food and things to do
This house will shine when I am through
I Facetime friends and family
I’m not alone; I’ll never be
So here I sit, binge watching shows
But thoughts intrude, that’s how it goes
I’m fine, but then I start to cry
Oh please, don’t let my loved ones die!
Social distancing’s our hope
Plus washing hands with lots of soap
The helplessness is devastating
As we all sit here – watching, waiting
Throughout the world, the numbers rise
The count goes up, another dies
No one is safe; this killer’s savage
Where next will this damn virus ravage?
And feckless youngsters party on
No clue how selfish they’ve become
We all have dreams and want to live
Can’t they just once learn how to give?
Anxiety levels reach the sky
We’re all afraid we’re going to die
Society’s been thrown a curve
But look how many help and serve!
I sob about the devastation
Then cheer as I see how each nation
Has come together since the first
To help us all get through the worst
The first responders help again
Young and old, women and men
Go out in public, brave the germ
To aid the old and the infirm
The stock boy and the grocery clerk
Now called upon to do the work
Risking health on the frontline
So we can have our food and wine
Teachers keep the lessons going
Cooks keep takeout dinners flowing
Law enforcement, pharmacists
All out there at their own risk
CEOs may run the show
But it’s the truckers helping now
Doctors, nurses, janitors
All help us through this deadly curse
And here at home I’m sitting, waiting
No more meetup groups or dating
I check the news ten times an hour
Remind myself I need to shower
All life has stopped for everyone
We turn to online ways of fun
Zoos, museums, singers, friends
Help us to cope until this ends
I try to stop each anxious thought
Keep focused on how much I’ve got
And how this scary killer virus
Has brought out love and care and kindness
So here’s my final take away
From living through these frightful days
As all our lives are put on hold
To try to save both young and old
We may be scared and filled with dread
But take a breath and clear your head
And think about what else you see –
The best of our society
Social networking’s the norm
And friends will help us through this storm
We band together, share the plight
To help each other through the night
– Katherine Billings Palmer
