The Spread

From one little point on the map

it evolved, and so began the spread.

Humanity was deep in a nice long nap,

and the contagion was quickly and quietly fed.

Person to person, hug to hug

invisible but deadly

City to city, touch to touch

so began the doomsday medley

The media swoons, the leaders declare

they each have all the answers

The experts lose sleep, shout into the air

yet the lies spread like a cancer

The people rushed, to clear out the stores

while the poor lamented their luck

celebrities fled to their homes on the shores

while spring breakers kept running amok

So began lockdowns and mass isolation

schools close, and mothers began to drown

making masks and mass desperation,

businesses suddenly forced to shut down

Children go hungry as parents embark

into sudden poverty, with broken hearts.

The streets are now empty, store windows are dark

the people must stay at least six feet apart.

Industries, markets, and supply chains crumble

while the economy slowly collapses

Conspiracy theorists start to mumble

trust in science, as always, lapses

Fingers began to point in fear and blame,

this, a global war no one can win

An invisible enemy, nowhere to aim,

a true success, this virus has been.

From one point, it spread,

a true marvel of evolution

A looming biological dread

that may bring waves of revolution.

It slipped into history with ease

changing everything forever

The spread brought humanity to it's knees,

we can only defeat this together.

But it has managed to separate further

a society already at each other's throats

red and blue idiots in political fervor

vying to be in historical quotes

The spread, in a way, has already destroyed

the way things once were and will be

Launching our sense of security into the void

we realize, humanity has no guarantee.

Comments

Elizabeth Barrett Kearney (author) from Maine on April 20, 2020:

I hope so too. And I am using this time to learn new things and be prepared for the next time, more than I was this time. Be well!

Elizabeth Barrett Kearney (author) from Maine on April 20, 2020:

Thank you! Hope you are well these days

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on April 18, 2020:

Good to see you writing again, even if it took a pandemic to get you back at it.

And the thing is, this is going to happen again. Hopefully we will actually be prepared for it next time.

I hope you are well. Stay strong young lady!

Shannon Henry from Texas on April 17, 2020:

Welcome back to HP! Long time no see. This poem hits the nail on the head, I think.

Elizabeth Barrett Kearney (author) from Maine on April 17, 2020:

Shauna, thank you for reading. It is such a sad time for this world, in so many ways.

Shauna L Bowling from Central Florida on April 17, 2020:

Poignant and sadly so very true.