Woodbury, Connecticut
Poem for Spring in the Midst of Pandemic
March 19, 2020
Today is the first day of spring.
The world is still growing,
in spite of everything.
Remember, remember
that you are also a seed.
And when the walls close in
and the shouts of panic
spin barbed-wire tales,
remember that you will soon
break out
through the dirt
into the light.
The mighty winds of winter
have screamed over this land,
over you.
You are still here.
And yes, there is still darkness,
but there is a little more light
every day.
Unexpected snowstorms may flurry in,
try to steal the joy of growing and green things.
The cold may still bite.
But here is what they cannot change:
Winter is over.
Death has died.
The trees have remembered their swaying song,
and the rivers have remembered their bounding dance.
And you will remember who you are, too.
Today is the first day of spring.
Artist Bio
"My name is Annalise. There’s a lot of fear here in western Connecticut. My family and loved ones are safe (and have enough toilet paper), but I am afraid for the people who aren’t taking proper precautions and their loved ones. I work remotely, so not a lot will be changing for me with social distancing and self-quarantine, but I travel a lot and have many friends who live in other states, so the loneliness and isolation has been getting to me a bit. This poem is a reminder to you and to me, that even though it feels like the world is going crazy, there is still time to rest and to grow. I hope we can all protect each other through wise decision making and be compassionate and gracious to each other during this season."
