Welcome to the After Awards,
bracelet signifiers distributed
and assigned.
Hero. Survivor. Privileged.
Before the Age of Corona
we lived unaware.
Blithely took much for granted.
We thought nothing of what we had
when so many others had nothing.
A home, savings, vacations
books and toys for our kids.
Safe neighborhoods
cupboards chockfull
and mobility.
In donning masks
our eyes began to see.
Privileged were we.
We watched numbers
numbly, then fearfully.
Even the privileged succumbed.
And then came the New Dawn.
BC took on a second meaning,
Before Corona.
And we understood,
after being assigned
our Privileged bracelet.
It was a jewelry of shame.
And yet,
now we actually were,
because we lived.
And we would shed that arrogant air,
and we would share
and we would care
and we would love.
Day 7 of national poetry month where the challenge is to write a poem every day.
Written for dVerse, the virtual pub for poets where Bjorn asks us to write a poem about the pandemic, for example, how it might look on the other side. At Toads, we are asked to somehow write about bracelets. Image from Pixabay.com
To all my readers, stay safe. Stay healthy.
lillian the home poet 
Thought provoking , Lill! Be well, Sweetheart! ❤️
Sent from my iPhone
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Always happy to get the thinker goin’! Consider yourself hugged, Nancy….virtual ones are encouraged 🙂
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haunting verse of a likely future. Stay safe 😷
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A most stunning amalgamation of two prompts, Lillian 💝
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I wonder how soon we will forget the lessons we might have learned from this time. Will we realize that the bracelet might really be the shackles of the doomed.
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Nice lines: “In donning masks
our eyes began to see.”
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I wish I shared your optimism. Caring and sharing isn’t what we’re best at. We can’t even share out the face masks equitably.
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This is so well written, Lillian! Yes we the entitled few have had to open our eyes! And when we leave our imprisonment, we will forever wear the tattoo of COVID-19 on our mind!
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“And we would shed that arrogant air,”
May it come to pass.
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I like the sort of post-apocalyptic feel of this–with an optimistic scenario. I hope it will be this way; I fear it will not. I think as in all times of crisis we see the best and the worst in people.
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Your words to God’s ear, sweet lady. This is a strong brew, naked insights capped by cautious optimism. This sings like a ballad and stings like a mantra.
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May we have less arrogance and more compassion. It is a different world we find ourselves living in.
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I agree with the lessons we are learning right now. Take out the non-essentials of life too and give care to others. Stay healthy and safe.
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From your mouth to God’s ears, Lillian. This is a beautiful poem, leaving us with hope for a future peopled with more compassion and caring.
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Well imagined, and told. May this optimism be justified! May we learn our lessons!
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Very hopeful. Yes we are a very spoiled people! There is so much good amongst the bad. I pray we not o my see it now, but don’t forget it after.
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I’d dearly love to think so but sadly most of mankind is selfish and greedy. I’ll think of them when I run out of toilet paper.
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I truly hope the last verse comes true after we emerge from this situation. We are in today’s situation partly because we took too much for granted.
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A realistic view of the corona virus, Lill, before, during and after. It’s true that we ‘Blithely took much for granted’ and we are learning our lesson. I hope the New Dawn proves to be right, that we share, care and love – no more masks, please.
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Your piece is very much on point. The tone of voice is spot on.
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This is the end I, too, aspire to “And we would shed that arrogant air,
and we would share
and we would care
and we would love.”
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How do we choose to learn from this and live going forward is a valuable reflection to sit with. Thank you for sharing your hopes for more love and care.
Stay well.
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We have learned a lot at great cost. I hope we emerge requiring the changes that earth needs us to make. And elect leaders of vision and integrity all over the world.
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We have learned a lot at great cost. I hope we emerge requiring the changes that earth needs us to make. And elect leaders of vision and integrity all over the world.
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Provocative, and visceral.
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