So It Came (part XVIII) (day 3190)

(part XVII)

New words like quarantine
Self isolation
Social distancing
Became the normal.
They became sayings
Slogans worn on t-shirts
And those within Safety zone
Knew what they meant.
When they were spoken
Safe people knew how to react
Almost as if it was
A secret handshake
And it became practiced
Every night before prayers
How to react in certain scenarios
When these new words
Were used and accepted.
There was pride and acceptance
For responding to Fear
As Fear had so desired.

(part XIX)

So It Came (part VI) (day 3178)

As the Fear sunk in
They were told to avoid touching
Avoid hugging
Avoid interactions
With other humans.
They were told
And they listened.
A handshake was no longer allowed
Personal space was strictly enforced
Not only by their Government’s police
But by company police, by employees
By a strange suspicion
That even neighbours would police
Themselves.
Gatherings of more than two
For anything
Other than essential-to-live services
Were strictly banned
Vehicles were no longer allowed
With more than three people in them.
All public services were cancelled.
Customer support ended.
Even employees of a company
Could no longer work as they had
For they were no longer allowed
To speak face to face.
Fear as it was, ruled in their hearts.

The New Normal (day 3143)

This is the new normal
No handshake, no smile.
This is the new normal
Lineups with seperation
And stickers on the ground
Telling me which way to walk
Where to stand.
This is the new normal
Where by law
We are no longer able
To gather in groups
More than fingers on my hand.
This is the new normal
Where social distancing
And isolation
Are words of our common vocabulary.
This is the new normal
Where walking down the street
Closer than two meters
To a passing stranger
We get anxiety
That this stranger just might
Transmit to us
An unseen death card.
This is the new normal
Where government declares
A business can no longer stay open.
This is the new normal
Where humans no longer have
Medicine men and women
Available to help
Because their knowledge
Relies on the antidote.
This is the new normal
Where I pay a bank monthly
To hold onto my money
I have saved from spending
And told that method is safer
Than guarding it with my own life,
And that money
Is better in digital plastic
Infused and inflated
By central banks at will.
This is the new normal
Where the government
Of my home country
Feels the safety and security
Of its citizens
Comes after the solvency
Of its biggest industries.
This is the new normal
And we must resist.

Replaying (day 2926)

Thank you for this story
I hadn’t heard it before.
No, that’s a lie
This has been replaying on my screen
In flickers that resemble each other
A narrative played out
Teamed up
Well partnered
Associated
To such am extent
Neither author nor creator
Knows the other’s handshake.
This tribe is grown
This message is skewed
This enigma has suddenly appeared
And the great world wide
Has fallen in love
So that the trend may continue
Financing is available
But no credits due.