Mercy…

Mercy…
The golden days have gone dark
Stuffed into the past
Two years of glory gone
An era extinguished

It was an era of unity, when time transformed
When standard public practice paused
and societal expectations evaporated
Rules crumbled
Collaboration constructed a new reality
The world was brand new
Oh, for the days when rabid danger gave us a common purpose
Oh, for the widespread panic that halted school shooters
Oh, for the global calls to hide that spurred virtual connection

Have mercy…
the pandemic is over
Heaven returned to the stars
We’re ourselves again
What unites us now?
Do we see ourselves in one another?
We’ll see you in war then, I guess
The boundaries are again broken, six feet dissolved

I miss you, pandemic
I long for the world you made possible
I keep a mask on hand, in case we meet again
In case we meet again