Delayed
Word of the Pandemic
I had a moment (there have been a few)
Of standing inside the doorway, paralyzed by indecision:
Do I wash my hands before or after putting away the
groceries? Before or after I wipe down the doorknob?
Before I touch my hair, or the sink handle, or the
refrigerator!
As a result, I wash my hands 95 times from the time I get
home to the time I sit down.
Will we ever be clean again? Will we ever be safe again?
Normally-
We think of delays in diagnosis, in subways, in flights
But now
It’s our life
That is on pause.
Birthdays, funerals, college graduations
Exams, buying a house, starting a career
All stopped in their tracks
(The only thing this virus hasn’t held back
is birth — the babies continue to come)
What I worry about now (a new thing every day)
Are the delays in healthcare after this pandemic
There’s one guy who has extremely high blood pressure
but he won’t go to the doctor (and there’s nowhere to go…
