The Quiet Panic


A Covid Poem (text below) over a painting of Berwick Law
The Quiet Panic by Moti Black April 2020


The Quiet Panic


By Moti Black

This is a quiet panic:
A sedate fear behind doors.
Behind screens and links that click;
That’s finally reached our shores.

Elsewhere, there’s cacophony:
Key workers risking it all;
Death with no ceremony;
Heroes answering a call.

In the quiet of cancelled plans,
That space between scared and bored,
I use the time on my hands,
To ignite dreams long ignored.

I practice skills, write my tome;
Send good wishes, clap at eight:
Cocooned safely in my home.
Late at night, I cry and shake.

Shopping trips with toothcomb queues
Remind me normal is gone.
Hurry home to watch the news,
Think: ‘crying emoticon’.

This is a quiet panic:
Measured in memes and death tolls.
PPE and numbers sick,
Stock levels and toilet rolls.


Lockdown hit as I was revving up for the art season. With all my exhibitions called off, I rather abruptly put away all my art supplies and jumped into my writing. I wasn't completely serious when I said I was going to have my novel finished by the end of quarantine, but now I am, as I only have six chapters left. 


The above image, minus the text, can be found on my RedBubble shop, here.

A photo of a hardback notebook featuring a watercolour painting of Berwick Law


Comments

  1. I think you are expressing the feelings of many people here in your poem. Very emotive bit with a nice bit of humour

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