How strange the times that we now live
when distancing has become the word
to describe how close that we can stand
no longer a physical touch of our hand
friends and neighbors who once were dear
are now mere strangers passing by
a wave of the hand to say hello
and scurry inside we all must go
this pandemic coursing through the land
brings with it fear of a different kind
where neighbors once consoled with a hug
in times gone by and now its a shrug
of the shoulders as if to say
do not come near me or I won’t stay
for fear that you have the dreaded disease
stay six feet away from me if you please
actually the reverse is true
as neighbors rally to the cry
helping those that can’t help themselves
not just waiting and standing by
checking on neighbors to see if they’re fine
shopping for groceries and standing in line
walking their pets and mowing their yards
as living alone can be terribly hard
there is no telling when this will end
it may get much worse following the trend
it may even be here to stay
with recurrent cycles that won’t go away
until such times as a cure can be found
as resilient as we are we will rebound
until down the road someone will say
its over and you need no longer stay
stuck in your homes and six feet apart
and hugging and handshakes will return
and life will be normal just like before
and the stories will be told as in folklore
people will boast that they survived
and others will say it was connived
the whole thing was just a terrible joke
made up by those who hold the key
for the way that we live our Democracy
and it was in fact a weapon of choice
for those in power to stifle the voice
and some of us who question the cause
leaving us to grasp at straws
for what was the cause we shall never know
just glad to survive and enjoy the show.

Written 4/10/2020