pandemic woes. A poem by ieske poppers

Outside my window I see
things to be done
weeding, painting and the like
and inside, an attic to be cleared,
endless opportunities for feng shui
a perfect time to do it all

Instead my days are spent
deciding what to do later
wondering if getting dressed
is a necessity or if the luxury
of staying in my pyjamas til 4pm
is actually unhealthy

Dance around the kitchen with my son and dog
we make scones and eat too much
Let him online more than I should,
my mental space at a premium
Tune into the news once I’ve settled the nerves
I swallow my fear along with my coffee

My sanity savers have been stripped away
No daily swims or trips to the sea
2 kilometres the worst prison
No coffee shops or pints to clink
No friends to meet or markets to browse
No escape from my three housemates
Man, child, dog and myself

Stuck together by pandemic woes
How little we knew before,
How small our world really is,
How far can we stretch our sanity?

Outside my window I see
A man with his toddler on a brand new scooter
I wave and they smile back
Through the open window I say hi,
“Its my birthday” says the child from 2 metres away,
“I’m 3 at the end of March”
Their smiles fill me up, just like that
Life going on

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