Friday, March 13th, was definitely bewitched
and not only for the nefarious connections tied to the number.
It was the last day of school of the 2019-20 school year,
though the students, teachers, and staff didn’t know it.
The Covid-19 outbreak brought forth a pandemic
with the only option to effectively slow the spread
being to maintain Social Distancing of a minimum six feet.
Teachers held online learning sessions with their students,
But those went the way of the Dodo bird.
The students fluttered away as the work was deemed optional.
Netflix, boardgames, and puzzles can only fill so many days.
Houses transform and gardens flourish.
Long walks under the sun slowly battle the disease.
The introverts rejoice and the extroverts suffer.
Toilet paper, paper products, and hand sanitizer soon vanish.
Worse yet, summer plans fizzle like a dying propane tank.
Vacations disappear, and despair sets in.
Beach goers blow away like sand from the shore.
Recreational vehicles sit idle, while flights are jettisoned.
Summer sport’s leagues and camps cancel any hope of parental rejuvenation.
The ultimate gut punch occurs when grandparents cannot be utilized.
The much-needed respite which refuels all teachers
rolls by as a tumbleweed tumbles along the dusty plains.
My deck is now my refuge. The dog is now my best friend.
The stack of tomes my only hope of passing the time.
My motivation is sucked dry as the protective clouds evaporate.
The summer morphs in to one long fitful nap.
I wonder if this pandemic is ever going to end.