~Abhijit Naskar
I'd like to thank Carol Varsalona for sharing her TIWYK poem with us today.
I Wish You Knew
Self-care is of utmost concern
now, more than ever,
since life as we knew it
is suspended by threads
crisscrossing mankind.
With the rise of social distancing,
fear mounts in a muddle
of broadcasts, news articles,
and statements out-of-turn.
Today's life is upside down.
I wish you knew how lonely
the walk is, how gray skies
bring a feeling of malaise,
how children learn through
remote learning with tablets.
A new normal takes over
like a raw television series.
Pandemic fear spreads through
ghost streets as social media
becomes a haven for talk.
I wish you knew that we-ness
depends on civic responsiveness.
Self-care is a must. It starts
with a shelter-in-place mantra,
courage, and firm determination.
So we journey onward with faith,
thankful for the unsung heroes
who give of themselves for the
greater good of all mankind. We
stand on the precipice. Let's rise!
©CVarsalona, 2020
**************
Carol says:
My National Poetry Month project, #NatureNurtures2020, started on April 1st at my blog, Beyond LiteracyLink. My initial blog post sent an invitation out to the world to discover nature's beauty and bounty during #QuarantineLife. As a distractor to troubling times, I created a variety of #poemsofhope, a Nature Nurture! padlet, a #NatureNurtures2020 hashtag that includes an eclectic mix of artistic expressions, and mini-galleries to circulate around the globe. At the end of the month, I will hope to design the Nature Nurtures 2020 Global Gallery of Artistic Expressions.
Thank you, Tabatha, for the privilege of sharing my Things I Wish You Knew poem. I am honored that you included my work in your National Poetry Month project.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to read this poem by Carol here today! These lines especially hit the sweet spot for me:
ReplyDeleteI wish you knew that we-ness
depends on civic responsiveness.
Sadly, there never seems to be enough we-ness these days.
Michelle, thank you for liking the lines that mean a great deal to me. Watching Gov. Cuomo daily has been a lesson in how level-headed sensitivity is going to bring the country together. Being a connected educator has given me many opportunities to experience we-ness. I often wonder why some people are so single-minded and absorbed in self.
ReplyDeleteThank you Carol for these words to share your experience. Our lives do feel upside down. I echo you call for us to rise, together
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kay, for joining me here at Tabatha's blog. Let us rise to join hearts across the land. My husband just heard that social distancing will continue throughout the summer. I do not know what that means for all of us. I was so looking forward to walking the beach and visiting my granddaughters this summer.
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful lines in this, Carol. I too would like to spread we-ness. This is so much bigger than 'me'. And yes, social media has become a haven. I am so thankful every time I see friends icons pop up in my social media and I know they're still safe and well. It brings an even greater joy than usual!
ReplyDelete