When this illness turns to embers
And the death toll dims at last
Let us promise to remember
What we all have come to pass
Let’s remember all the darkness
When we stand out in the sun
All the panic and the madness
When we thought it could have won
When from loneliness we shuddered
When our confidence collapsed
Let’s remember we recovered
And the dread has now elapsed
In the streets when passing strangers
Let’s remember they were those
Who we fought to keep from danger
When we stayed inside our homes
Let us never take for granted
Our dear liberty to meet
Friends and colleagues at enchanted
Cafes, parks, and day retreats
Let us relish simple freedoms
Nature’s breeze on cheeks and hair
Sunny rays on backs and bare arms
Strolls through gardens, crowds at fairs
When we go out for some coffee
Read a book at bakeries
When we dance, attending parties
Cherish every moment please
Let us thank our doctors, nurses
For their frontline bravery
Where the war was humans versus
An unseen feared enemy
Let us take this harsh pandemic
And transform our selfish ways
So the future of our planet
Sees more selfless, joyous days
Viktoriya Neverov-Krstic 2020
I sat upon a lonesome boulder
