(HASHTAG) BLURSED

The death toll rose

alongside first loaves

and heritage fruit cake.

Tomatoes stretched towards the sun,

legs stretched in solitude on daily walks;

tempers, sanity,

the truth

stretched veil-thin across the globe.

Over lagging video calls

we wore pyjamas to work

with lockdown beards;

we wore bin liners over uniform

as our only protection.

We camped in gardens,

star-jumped along to YouTube,

chatted from the ends of driveways,

and FaceTimed our final goodbyes.

We talked about "after",

"when it's over",

"back to normal",

and questioned if after the hiatus

we would want it anyway,

as though a return

were even feasible.

Every question had a hundred answers.

Every answer led to a hundred questions.

We followed ever decreasing circles

with no end in sight.

I watched people live with anxiety and fear

as I have for all my years.

And, for the first time, I found peace.

Writing by SPREKEN

Artwork ‘Lockdown Time Log 2020' by GILLY ROGERS