Foreign warnings that were faintly heard grew louder as late autumn turned cold.
Winter slapped us in the face with a wake-up call. We struggled with what we were told,
Beware the invisible enemy. Take shelter from the threat. Learn to sit and stay,
Denial persisted at a leisurely pace until thousands more had passed away.
How soon the unseen peril had us working or hiding in place.
Shelves emptied of bleach as we tried in vain to remove every trace.
We donned masks and gloves almost overnight, tending only to basic needs.
Social distance, temperatures, and each new symptom were paid great heed.
Our shrunken realm assumed an eerie, other-worldly glow.
Daily routines became just something we used to know.
We slept and woke in an uninterrupted state of dread
Fearing that life as we have known it may, in fact, be dead.
“When will we return to normal?” was the omnipresent cry.
The answer is probably never, and here is the reason why;
Viruses, like old soldiers, never really die.
Researchers armed us with tools causing the menace to fade
Will we be wise enough to use the miracles heroic efforts made?
The enemy’s survival instinct is ruthless; don’t let them fool you.
Warmer weather may obscure them while they morph into version two.
The global enemy has unfortunately achieved an unintentional success
It broadened our divisions, laying bare usually hidden selfishness.
What happened to our sense of responsibility for the common good?
We cannot even distinguish that which is valid from a dangerous falsehood.
The distrust of age-old institutions and the solutions that they offer,
Makes even family, friends, and neighbors suspicious of each other.
Heightened individualism mutates into a new, more deadly virus
One that has lethal consequences for democracy and also for U.S.
“When will we return to normal?” is the omnipresent cry.
The answer is probably never, and here is the reason why;
Viruses, like old soldiers, never really die.
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