The world is so wild now,
it’s mind-boggling
to try
to describe
the crazy.
We’re living in a movie –
probably many.
People are dying
daily
all across the world
from a virus
no one can see
fully understand
or fight against.
This pandemic is incomprehensible
inconceivable
with everyone social distancing
quarantined
on lockdown
or under martial law
in some places –
terms most of us
have never used
in conjunction with one another
or probably even
in a sentence before.
People are existing
in a panic,
hoarding toilet paper
paper towels
and bottled water.
Constant emails
all say the same thing:
our business is following CDC recommendations
and adding extra precautions
procedures
to handle everything, such as
sanitizing surfaces
washing our hands frequently
(apparently that wasn’t happening previously?)
providing paid-time off for employees
so they don’t show up to work sick
(evidently that wasn’t happening before either)
and even taking employees’ temperatures
before they clock in
to make sure we are keeping the world
as safe as possible.
The economy has tanked
businesses have closed
tens of millions of people
in the US alone
are now unemployed.
Kids are out of school
parents have been forced
to become homeschool teachers,
and the disparity of class
and privilege
is quite apparent.
Yet for many,
not much is happening
day to day
or
week to week.
Lots of people
are losing track
of weekdays
and weekends
because they all blend together.
The world
has managed
to
s
l
o
w
its insane pace.
It’s quieter
less frenzied
and the air
is cleaner.
Many politicians are actually
(sort of)
working together
for the good of humanity.
Healthcare workers
farmers
ranchers
grocery store clerks
teachers
delivery service people
law enforcement
the National Guard
food processing plants
food banks
and domestic violence prevention organizations
don't get enough credit,
yet they are all
helping us through this.
No one else is really going
anywhere.
Millions of people
can’t go to work
or have no job left
to go to.
We have been told
not to travel
or visit
with friends or family in person,
but rather to stay at home
and keep distancing
from each other.
But we can still
have food delivered
stream almost anything we want to watch
on our phones
tablets
or TVs
and order all the things
from Amazon –
never mind the minor shipping delay.
And there are
no zombies.
It’s the strangest apocalypse
ever.