The world grew quiet,

Streets were empty,

The silence, eerie, not serene.

People were afraid,

Stalked by an invisible foe,

Noise signalling threat.

In isolation humanity retreated,

An apocalyptic stillness.

But the earth endured,

The sun turned,

While birdsong amplified,

And skies grew clear,

The oceans teemed with life.

And some people judged and blamed,

But there was also kindness,

And courage in everyday acts,

Undervalued ordinary became heroic.

In home bubbles we tried,

To work and learn and exercise,

To be safe.

But the people were sad,

The light in their hearts dimmed,

Unnourished by connection,

Lacking the warmth of hugs.

No true substitute in technology.

And some were lost,

And some were found.

While we struggled to understand,

How to reimagine normal.

That we might bring hope,

For a world changed,

The possibility of rebirth,

Children play together again,

Community re-evaluated.

Humanity remembers what is true,

False gods denied,

Real value found anew.

 

Sarah Monk ⓒ 2020