Covid, co-lived

Sitting in the May sun on the steps, listening to James Ehnes’ recording of the Korngold Violin Concerto, I found the words below coursing through my head. Skin sun-warm, squinting a little to see my laptop screen and drinking an espresso from the almost-exhausted bag of beans brought back from another time in another life on the last leg of a US tour in Ashland, Oregon last November. Sadly, the only photo I could find from Ashland was of a rather fine steak dinner, so I’ve included a view of San Francisco from the plane window instead.

This poem doesn’t take itself to seriously, I hope you won’t either.

Covid, co-lived

Might shades of different circumstance

For once no longer be seen askance?

For there are as many stories and ways

As there are people to live these tough days.

Not all in the same boat, it’s been said

But navigating the same storm instead.

The in-the-grass-with-a-book sunners

The puffing couch-to-5k runners,

The sudden IT engineers

The ones who can’t hold back the tears.

The couriers, bus drivers and cashiers

Who’ve known themselves for many years

That their work is the real thing

That keeps our shared world revolving.

The teachers under so much stress,

The workers in the NHS

Who never sought a hero’s glory

They just wish you’d not voted Tory

There are hidden heroes too,

The ones at home, like me and you.

Musicians, maybe silent now,

Must keep their tunes alive somehow.

For we know when that day finally comes,

That the artists, they will be the ones

Who find the language to express 

Our inexpressible happiness 

Courage, mes braves! This too shall pass.

For now, the only thing I ask:

To hold yourselves lightly, gently and well

And we shall survive this living hell.