Lockdown Poetry by Daphne Chamberlain

Photo by Em Fitzgerald

Exclusion
Loneliness can be walking alone
On a warm summer night
Past gardens of pubs where lovers are close.
Loneliness is exclusion.

Isolation can be sitting alone,
With two birthday cards
Displayed now for months, once a year wishes.
Isolation is exclusion.

Self-isolation set from above
Is not this frozen world of the heart.
Community action is not exclusion.

June 2020

Isolation Haiku
Not isolated.
Can’t get away from myself.
Discovering me.

April 2020

COVID 19 95th
Now is not the time to have a birthday,
Not even if you’re 95.                                                
No parties, hugging, kissing.
Remember social distancing.
Thank God you’re still alive.

But Eula is a lady of resource.
So she lets the good times roll,
And there’s laughter in her garden
As her neighbour shares the birthday cake,
Each standing at the end of a pole.

April 2020

Comfort
We saw him struggle with grief,
With dignity trying to understand
Why his daughter marched to meet her death,
Fighting among strangers in another land.

As tears began at last to threaten,
He went outside “to get some air”.
Then a little girl ran after him, calling
“Grandad, there are three frogs in the pond”.

And taking his hand,
She led him there.

October/November 2019.

Based on television documentary. His daughter had gone to Syria, to fight against Isis. She insisted on going to front line, and was killed.