a daughter stands in front
of her parents below a balcony
smiling at them,
making jokes to see
the happiness in whatever may come,
mothers, sitting wondering
if her children are being safe
with gloves and loving them wearing
masks before remembering a time of washing a face,
a son calls, why didn't you answer,
you made me worry, where did you go?
telling them to sit still and become a dancer
in their living rooms for a little lung flow,
men arrive at the windows
of women they love, holding
bags of food while in their soul grows
a quiet unheard moment of longing,
amateur musicians perform,
singing over cities savaged by COVID-19,
loving people who cry in the storm,
songs reminding them a night did
pass in the shining warm,
and as we pass on from one day
to another, we gently are reminded
that love in quarantine will stay
to hold us as we are united
in a hope for God's mercy to take this away.
By Melinda Cochrane