Ode to a Comet

 

Neowise lights up the skies

North westly, after dark

Below The Plough and Ursa M

Shine, twinkle, trailing bright.

Us moderns with our science eyes

Not tuned to myth and legend

Observe with interest, no more

Just map and count and measure.

Ignoring all the Ancients thought

And feared when such are summoned.

 

But wait indeed, what have we here?

It’s lockdown covid year!

Jobs gone, furloughs and business bust,

Signs, masks and keep your distance,

Our lives are turning upside down

And everything is virtual.

It’s click/collect and b*gger off

No browsing at the shops

Cashless is now the style du jour

And queuing a new art.

 

Ah yes, you’re right, I clean forgot

There’s Brexit looming too…..

 

So, Neowise the light, the bright,

So visible these nights

What further portents do you bring

This lockdown year of blight?

We all expect a second wave

Of that there is no doubt,

And climate change is here to stay

Too hot, too cold – who knows?

Is there anymore that you can do

That we’ve not done already?!

 

Chris Harris

 

Poem of the week

Finally our poem of the week is a parody of John Masefield’s ’Cargoes’ set in the time of coronavirus. Cargoes   

Poem of the week

Finally, continuing our mission to fight the pandemic with poetry, we have a contribution here prompted by the opening up of non-essential shops.

Poem of the week

Finally, since it is a Monday we have our poem of the week, kindly contributed by a former resident of the village Margaret Haslam. Many will remember Margaret’s contributions to ‘Poets and Pints’ in the Village Hall.    ‘Corona Catastrophe’ is well up to her usual standard.

Poem of the week

Finally, as it is Monday we have another poem of the week, written when the supermarkets were finding it difficult to keep fully stocked – Not Daffodils by Chris Harris. We have a good stock of poems from regulars like Chris but would like to encourage others to come forward.  Its always good to have new voices.