A monster invaded our world

The Spring of 2020

A time of calm complacency,

Of peacefulness and plenty.

It came in with fangs full bared.

Low and rotten and mean.

Soon a name all feared

The monster COVID-19.

Our people became sick and weak;

Some rallied, but many were lost.

Despite our best laid plans

To show the monster who’s boss.

Its insidious song heard here,

And echoed throughout the globe.

A villain with venom that poisons

And like lava destroyed and flowed.

Our soldiers: the doctors and nurses,

The first responders and more,

Found themselves on the front lines

Fast and furious, fighting a war.

The Good, they rose to give back.

The Bad looked the other way.

So the Good, just filled in the “lack”

To fight it both night and day.

We sequestered in our homes

Out of the monster’ path.

Hoping to slow it down,

Reducing its’ rile and wrath.

Some of us with our families.

Some of us with our friends.

Some of us holed up, alone.

Riding it through to the end.

Waiting for the messages

As each flag went unfurled,

What to do and where to go

From those who run our world.

And now we wait and wonder

As one by one we emerge.

From our cocoons of safety

Avoiding a sudden surge.

Armed with weapons like masks,

Sanitizer and gloves.

Hoping to pass with patience,

Kindness and mostly, love.

We enter a “new normal” now.

A world tentative and changed.

Everything we knew before

Remade and rearranged.

But we WILL make it through this war.

We Will follow the rules and every plan.

We WILL rise to take back our world.

Together we’re strong.

TOGETHER WE CAN.

Claudia Zatorski is a lifelong resident of Connecticut and a 61-year resident of Griswold. “I love my town and my home and vow to never move,” she said.” COVID-19 has made me take notice of how lucky my family is to be strong and healthy, but also to realize how tenuous good health is in this scary world right now. Those family members who have caught COVID have rallied and are fine, thank the Lord. COVID has also taught me to be a more patient and hopefully a kinder, more understanding person.”

Poetry in a Pandemic local offers readers a chance to share their poetry written during or related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. To contribute, email times@theday.com.