Sue's notes to self

It’s only been a year or two, so how could we forget,

The year the world was stuck inside, a year of much regret?

We heard the news from far away and watched as it soon spread,

Crossing each successive barrier, and leaving behind its dead.

While politicians dithered, not knowing what to do, 

Soon there were those who paid the price. It wasn’t just like flu!

While people fought for every breath and temperatures ran high,

Our hospitals began to fill and beds were in short supply.

We washed our hands to various tunes and sanitised all surfaces,

While paying extra attention and covering our faces

With masks that made our glasses steam and ears get very sore,

And filled cupboards with extra loo rolls, so none were left in store.

We clapped our gallant NHS and called them all our heroes,

While watching numbers going up to many extra zeroes. 

They shut us in, they closed the doors, they kept us all secluded.

Throughout the world it happened, nowhere was excluded.

We said goodbye to loved ones without a chance to tell their story,

With a very few to weep for them as they were sent to glory.

Indoors the lonely were confined, the vulnerable were shielding,

And the children had their school at home. The virus was unyielding,

Constantly mutating and bringing misery to us all.

‘When will it be over?’, was a frequent, poignant call

As people took to praying like they’d never done before

Although the churches empty stood, as we had to close the doors. 

Meanwhile the skies above were clear and roads were very hushed

As nobody could travel and only ambulances rushed

From homes where the elderly succumbed, with immunity so low.

There simply was no escape, nowhere they could go.

Gardens began to blossom as we turned our hands to caring,

And nature took a break from us, the results were quite amazing.

Neighbours got to know neighbours they’d never known before

With socially distanced coffees outside their open doors.

Food parcels were delivered to those who could not go out

And people were much nicer, there really was no doubt.

Technology was used that made us feel we were connected,

In new ways and exciting ways, that still kept us well protected.

We sang on ZOOM, FaceTimed the family and live-streamed where we could,

It wasn’t what we were used to, not quite ‘just as good’. 

With roadmaps for emerging, we watched with much confusion,

While disappointments were endured, with our long seclusion. 

Lockdowns still they came and went, till vaccines were discovered,

Although we knew it would be a while before we all recovered.

With all that happened you’d think we’d learnt how to treat each other,

When lives depended on goodwill, all were sister and were brother.

How soon we have forgotten once the threat began to decrease,

And as the world opened up again, we said goodbye to peace.

After pestilence came war and flood and famine and wildfire,

Caused by humanity’s greediness and selfish, mad desire

To have it all, with no regard for any other need.

We lost the plot, forgot the love, and so we failed to heed

The lessons learned from lockdowns of how to be good neighbours.

Before you know it, back we were, to sad and angry behaviour. 

How devastating now to see how much the human race 

Is hellbent on destruction, it’s more than a disgrace. 

We wouldn’t want to turn back time, to relive all that regret,

But maybe some of what we learnt, we should not so easily forget.

August 2023