Collaboration: Day 9

This Virus Ends With -Us
March 26, 2020

This is the time to be resilient.
This is the time when wolves come out
to hunt and prey on the weak.

This is the time where we must
stay inside and not think
about the negative or fuss,

we must be mindful
through the course of each day
and not lose our focus.

On the couch I surf the web, distracting
myself from fear. My grandparents knew
shortages and gardens and dodged

bullets and suffered financial ruin.
Will I make them proud of me?
Will we make them proud of us?

Tickets for Hamilton at the Pantages,
after 5 years, cancelled;
help us, Dionysus.

It’s time to be kind to ourselves
and others. Fight the temptation
to close the distance. Be courageous.

Forgot your mittens? Didn’t pack
a lunch? Sit next to me.
Last seat on the bus.

A crusty mess who loves to cuss
Don’t sneeze on me!
You might be contagious.

Off to work wearing a mask.
Keeping a safe distance
is tough on a crowded bus.

Walking in the bright of day, flowers
galore and orange blossoms
so fragrant, keeping

a six foot distance, like
experts say, to avoid catching
the Coronavirus.

Look up! What do you see?
A “Hefalump” or “Woozle”? For those
with less imagination–it’s a stratus,

a cirrus, a cumulus— No, can’t you
see it? Clearly, it’s cumulelaphumpus!
Dozens, too many to count,

wound their way overhead
yesterday: seagulls, flying without
fear or fuss. And the sea

and the wind and the trees, all in chorus.
Cool spring breeze through apricot blossoms:
melodious, harmonious, delicious.

You’re addictive, contagious,
I’ve caught your virus. I’ve waited forever
for me & you to become us.

We tremble awaiting
our release—it’s so deciduous!
All conspired in the wild, wild rumpus.

by Juanita Mantz, Robin Longfield, Gudelia Vaden, Ruth Bavetta, Julianna Cruz, James Luna, Lynn Doiron, Kris Lovekin, Kirk McConnell, Stevie Taken, Christian Garduno, Nan Friedley, Ai Kelly, Larry Burns, Steven Mast

Original prompt: Write anything you’d like, but the last word in your line should rhyme with or end in “-us”.