New Year’s Day, 2021
Still sequestered
no hope on the horizon –
like living in the Yukon
in the deep of winter
night bleeds into days
and days
and days
two
hundred
and
seventy
five
days
of zooming into other
people’s homes –
virtual embraces
outside –
the half-masked smiles
of strangers
sanity, barely threading
its way through our minds
barely hanging on
barely breathing
but
July promises possibilities,
a summer festival –
a veritable feast for those
hungry for contact
forage on from the
summer solstice
of the Yukon’s
midnight sun –
banish darkness
to the outer realms
touch hope
again, and again
and again
to be sure
it’s real
‘Should old acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind…’
(Cristy Watson, 2021)
Cristy,
Wonderful use the of the familiar lyrics at the end; upon reaching them, they were both old and new, comforting, and full of yearning.
Thank you, Jacob – I did want to come around to the beginning at the end and think I may even have a New Year’s Day celebration in July! I appreciate your insightful comment.
Beautiful and poignant poem Cristy! I loved the repetition of the idea of New Year’s at the beginning and end…almost like an endless loop…it added to that feeling for me anyways of being trapped in this COVID loop. From alliteration, to simile and to metaphor, you involve it all in this beautiful poem. You have a wonderful way with words.
Thank you, Ingrid! I so appreciate you taking the time to comment on my poem!! 🙂
This poem captures the covid atmosphere so aptly. I love how every line was so wonderfully captivating!
Thank you, Bavishya!!!
Stunning poem with clever formatting. Love “half-masked smiles” and “sanity, barely threading
its way through our minds”. You capture it all so perfectly. Thank you 🙂
Thank YOU, Kendra! I appreciate your thoughts on this poem and I am thrilled it worked!
I loved the section ‘Night bleeds into days and days and days’. The repetition takes that phrase further inside the metaphor.
Thank you KatrinaM! I like using repetition but it is always a tricky balance – so glad it worked here.
Beautifully portrayed the current visuals… Lovely write…
Beautifully written Cristy
I like the line July promises possibilities it’s reassuring and relatable I also like the two hundred and seventy five days made me stop and think well penned
of zooming into other
people’s homes –
virtual embraces
outside –
the half-masked smiles
of strangers
Wonderful pun in these lines.❤️
Thank you, Ananya!! Looking forward to this year’s contest! Just going to sign up, now!