Dedicated to our fellow human beings who gave their lives to serve us.

This too shall pass, it always does
We have been in dire straits before
Yes, It will leave us with sad memories
We may even be knocked to the floor

But, we always find the courage to get up
Take a few staggering steps, may look dazed
We may even stumble a few times
Yet, we find our stride and remain unfazed

Yes, we are living through a nightmare
Scarred for life, and setback by years
But, we will survive and will thrive
Paraphrasing FDR , we have nothing to fear but fears.

One day we will look back with mixed emotions
At these times that leave indelible imprints on us
Remember those who met an untimely death
Marvel at our resilience despite immense stress

The Covid-19 pandemic put in focus many of our ills
Ignored all along, but now in full view
Hopefully, we will change as we move forward
Society should work for all, not just the privileged few.

I am optimistic….
The Sun will still shine tomorrow
The Moon will still rise in the night
Birds will still chirp, Bees will buzz
Not to worry, we will be all right.

This too shall pass.
This too shall pass.
We shall overcome
We shall overcome

AMEN!

Some Observations and Learnings

What we can and should do……

Check on those who feel the effects of social isolation
To those who lost loved ones, offer words of consolation
To those feeling down, advance the proposition
…..This too shall pass
…..This too shall pass.

Paraphrasing President Kennedy…….

Ask not what others can do for you (to save your life),
Ask what you can do for others (to save their lives)

It is becoming clear we live in a two tiered society…..

Those of us who are able to work from home
are the lucky ones; still getting paid
But, those of us who have been laid off
Must feel left out and betrayed

It is becoming clear to all of us…..

The line between making ends meet and being broke is very thin
Half of us live paycheck to paycheck, with nothing to spare
With no money coming in, can’t pay rent, can’t buy food
For no fault of theirs, they are having to live through a nightmare

What about the new Heroes….

New frontiers have opened up in the war against the virus
These frontiers are not miles away, in some foreign land
they are right here among us, in our neighborhood
Look, our fellow citizens are making a resolute stand

The new heroes are taking a good fight to the virus
Risking their well-being trying to save our lives
Our front line soldiers, but often without proper armor
Hats off to those on whose accord our society survives

So where should we begin in search of heroes….

We have to start with hospital workers
They are working long hours with hardly any breaks
They are tending to the sickest with little hope
Stakes are high, they’re doing what it takes

But right along are the essential workers….

… Ambulance drivers and medics
… Grocery store and staff
… Food/grocery delivery personnel
… Public transit drivers
… Cleaning and sanitizing crews

Performing high risk jobs with low pay
Keeping businesses and households afloat
Dutifully serving others, risking their lives
Salute to them they are our lifeboat

It has not been all bad….

We have learned to stay connected w/o touching
We have learned to care without hugging
We have learned virtual partying and wining /dining
We have learned new phrases like social distancing

We have learned we are one humanity on our planet
This virus is an equal opportunity enemy, doesn’t discriminate
Color, race, nationality, wealth, sexual orientation nothing matters
It needs any warm body, for its species to propagate

Yet, who lives and dies often depends on class and race
Where one lives often predetermines the outcome
People with poverty borne diseases are easy prey
Despite doctors & nurses’ heroic efforts, they succumb

We have learned we are interconnected locally and globally
The virus from one corner, spreads to every corner of the globe
What we do or don’t affects our neighbors and many more
It jumps from person to person, it is a vicious microbe

We have learned a new meaning for the phrase “6 feet”
Yes, we all know about being buried “6 feet” under
Now the “6 feet” refers to the minimum distance between us
The virus can’t hitchhike if we stay “6 feet” apart from each other

Those of us, with school age children who are being home schooled now…

Have gained a new appreciation for teachers
Teacher’s job is is demanding and yes, damn hard
Wonder how they tend to our children for the better part of a day!
Beats me; they deserve higher pay and greater regard

But, lets not forget moms – some of them single
Dads* may help, but moms carry the most load
With the entire family sheltered at home 24×7
It’s a mystery why they don’t implode!
* Think about a Single Mom in the current environment.

Superman, Batman, Spiderman, et el. –
Each one is a fictional hero
They can’t hold a candle to Moms
Moms do real work at ground zero!
They deserve to be called Super Moms

Epilogue

The house-hold world has turned upside down*
Devoid of social activities^#, relationships drift
Stress builds, leading to an eventual “blow-up”
Divorce lawyers and counselors are chomping at the bit!

* Smart phone activities don’t really count
# Consider the current environment…
…. Four meals having to be eaten at home
…. Kids being home schooled
…. Dad and/or Mom working from home
…. Both Mom and Dad considered “essential workers” (Ouch!)
…. Scarce day care options for tots
…. Sports starved Dad 🙁
…. Mom and Dad penned in at home having to “get along” 24×7
…. Teenagers forced to live with parents 24×7 (no dates, no clubbing, no hanging out, …… :-(:-(:-(:-(:-()
…. Siblings getting on each others nerves
…. House cleaning now in-sourced

“No one has ever become poor from giving.” – Maya Angelou

I acknowledge the invaluable input and guidance provided by my esteemed friend, Mr. S.M. Shahed.
Mr. Shahed is the brains behind “urdushahkar.org” – a website for Urdu Poetry Lovers.