Poem: The Pandemic World

Slumped against the pub’s dull interior.

There was a tilted tv.

One man sat, one stood behind the bar.

There was no news to inspire glee among thee.

 

The schools are closing again, all down to the disease

The pair sighed as they knew the governments folly

And that in turn caused much less ease.

 

“I told you, it’d be like the spanish flu in chicago in 1918” the barfly said

“But you can’t keep the children out of school even more” 

the bartender replied, as a third person came through the door.

 

“Have you seen the news?” asked the pair, intrigued.

“I honestly couldn’t care less right now.” The third sighed, fatigued.

 

“A bad day I’ve had, the latest gossip is the last thing I need.”

But the pair looked at each other, incredulously.

“Don’t you have a son who attends St. Mary’s?”

“I do, is it closing again?” The pair nodded and he decreed

 

“I’ll set a schedule for him, I can’t have him interrupt me working from home,

As much as working from home is a pain in the arse.”

“Still” the publican spoke “It could be much worse.”

“I know, but all of this, it all just feels like an utter farce.”

 

The third joined the trio, sanitized, aware of his metres apart.

he said “At this rate, it feels like this pandemic will go on forever.” 

Then the publican chimed in with something that he kept close in mind

“I’ll take a word from my daughter, and that’s to say “Never say never!” “.

 

Though he sounded optimistic, the bartender knew deep inside

That despite how much the world changes its ways, whatever that may be

Travel-bans, viral tests and border closures.

The world’s economy, including his bar, for money it, no, they, cried.

 

They all paused as the reporter commented on

Just how long this all might go on

“A couple more months” the reporter chimed, almost chipper in tone,

But in this bar, his mood was contrary, contested and utterly alone.

 

The barfly drank, then said “Do they pay them to be happy in such troubling times?”

“Probably”, said the other two, and the newest of the trio dived in, with impatience.

“As much as I want to call it all poppycock, I know the disease is true.”

“But the way they word it, they don’t seem to understand the virtue of patience”

 

“What do you mean?” The bartender raised an eyebrow, questioning.

“The only reason we’re in this state is because the world just wants to return to normality”

“But rushing back to get to normal will just prolong this situation.”

“So, if they slow down and stop trying to reopen so quickly, there will be less suffering.”

 

The first barfly stated “if we dither longer, we’ll fall behind in all regards, not just the economy.” 

“We’re already behind a handful of other countries anyway” The barman said.

This is the only talk that could be heard in the bar, just because of this microscopic anomaly.

 

And just as always, with nobody knowing

Another article, unrelated to the pandemic came on

Something to do with California being on fire, again.

The world just kept on doing as it always does,

Turning, and turning, and turning.

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