She made a list, One that kept growing, As the lockdown was extended, Again, and again. She wanted to, Go out without fear (hopefully without a mask!), To live in a world where, "entry" was not restricted, Go on a shopping spree, Visit friends and family, Dine out with her loved ones, Order her favourite dishes, To travel and explore, Experiment with food and fashion, Discover new cuisines and restaurants! Watch a movie, Attend a concert, Visit the library, Go out for a walk, Enjoy the glorious sunset, Visit her favourite lakes and parks. Hop on a bus or train, and hit the road, Go bowling on Friday nights, Pay a visit to her favourite bookstores, Pamper herself at the salon, To have contact with other humans, (Video calls and texts weren't the same.) Visit a supermarket, that didn't have empty racks. Attend the weddings of her loved ones, So on, and so forth, On and on went her list, That seemed never-ending. The funerals were getting too much. Her heart broke and her eyes welled up, As she thought of the countless people Who had been robbed of a chance, Even to bid, a proper goodbye to their loved ones. The official numbers were high, Yet many seemed to think that The actual numbers were even higher The numbers were rising sharply, The curve was far from flattening, Security measures, and precautions were imposed, No stones were left unturned, The government had pulled out all the stops, To combat the invisible enemy, That just couldn't be conquered. Yet. But covidiots who violated them, did pose a huge threat! When the lone millennial felt trapped, Between the four walls of her apartment, She ventured out to her balcony, Where she watched the flowers in bloom, Sway lightly in the wind, Watched the birds and squirrels, Hopping from one branch to another, Oblivious to her disconcert. Nature provided a healing balm, For her troubled mind. The ray of sunshine that filtered through the thick canopy, Reminded her to never let go of hope. Drawing inspiration from nature, Her spirits were lifted. She made another list, This time, the list was of the things that she was grateful for; To have a roof over her head, For having access to food, water, and money. To have a job, To be safe in her home, For keeping her loved ones safe and sound, For electricity, Wi-Fi, blogging, books, and technology, Technology that helped her stay connected, Despite the miles that separated her from her loved ones. Safe from the clutches of poverty, disease, and hunger. And for having the time to be worried. The new list made her realize, how lucky she was indeed! She had finally counted her blessings, And that stopped her from moping around aimlessly. Hers were no real hardships. Many had it worse. She offered a silent prayer, For the ones who were suffering, ailing, and braving the odds, For the ones who were at the front-lines, Waging a war against the formidable virus. She wondered how long it would last, April had come and gone. She hoped that May would bring good tidings.
Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop!
This really long verse was written in response to the following prompts:
WordPress’ Discover Prompts: List and Grateful.
Fandago’s FOWC prompt: Experiment.
The Daily Spur’s Word of the Day: Official.
Your Daily Word Prompt: Disconcert.
Word of the Day Challenge: Lone
Di’s Three Things Challenge #221: Last, Entry, May.
Click on the links to know more about the challenges and to read the responses of other particpants.
Click here to read all my other poems. 🙂
Image courtesy: Pixabay
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© 2020 Shweta Suresh. All rights reserved.
I could feel each and every word of this. Relatable.
Just felt like sharing this: https://twitter.com/Ashokkumarips/status/1255028917372620800
Those who get to stay at home are really blessed 🙂
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Thank you so much, Saumya. Thank you for sharing that message. Those who get to stay at home are very lucky indeed.
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Yes! 🙂
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It all came together very well, and thank you for the inclusion. A lot of us are counting our blessings at the moment. Keep safe and well.
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Thank you so much for the prompt, Di. It’s much better to count our blessings. Thank you for your kind words. Stay safe. Take care. ♥️
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This is simply so wholesome. This poem reads like a healthy meal cooked with love and care ❤
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Wow. That’s sweet of you, Rahul! I am glad that I was able to serve a wholesome meal. Thank you so much for your kind words. 🙂
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This was so relatable, Shweta! You are such a globally aware writer, it’s impressive. Well done! 😀
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Thank you so much, Ayesha. Your words have made my day! I try my best. 🙂 The prompts seem to tie together really well and once I started, the words flowed effortlessly. 🙂 That’s the thing about prompts. Do give them a try.
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Aww I’m so glad to hear that!! You have certainly inspired me to look into it! Sending you loads of love 🙂 ❤
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I’m so glad to hear that. ♥️ Thank you. Sending you lots of love and hugs. Stay safe. Take care. Thank you for your kind words.
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anytime 😉 Stay safe yourself!
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♥️
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Very well written.
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Thank you so much, Sadje. 🙂
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You’re welcome 😉
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I did it! I managed to include so many prompts. 😁
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Absolutely right!
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Thanks for your encouragement.
P.S: I did follow your advice. ♥️
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A pleasure Shweta. I’m happy !
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🙂
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What a good read!!!
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Thank you so much. ♥️
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Such a great blog. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you so much, Lauren. I’m so happy to hear that!
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Covidiots are making the news daily–drives me crazy. Good to have a list of gratefuls ❤
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Yes. A list of gratefuls can make one feel better. Thanks for reading, Rhen!
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You’re most welcome 🙂
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This is amazing Shweta 🤩
It was like a whole covid story u were reciting. Could feel every bit of it…💙
Much love to you…💕
And I really liked these prompts…
Would definitely like to try them..
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Thank you so much, Anushka. So happy to hear that. Do check out the prompts. They’re the main reason why I got into writing poetry these days!
Thanks for dropping by. Do keep visiting.
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Definitely 😊
Nice to meet you..💕
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The feeling is mutual ❤️
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so pretty, really.. these days we do want like that, well penned
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Making a gratitude list really helps. Writing this poem was a cathartic experience. Glad to know that you liked it. Thank you for your kind words and for visiting my blog. 😃
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❤️❤️
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Thank you, Harsh.
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Great rhyme. Completely relatable.
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Thank you so much. I’m so happy to hear that! ♥️
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Nice shweta!
this poem really amazing. this is impressive. this blog such a great.
thanks for sharing.
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Glad to know that. Thank you so much. Do keep visiting. ♥️
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This is such a beautiful composition.
We must be really grateful for our privileges instead of complaining about the lockdown.
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Yes indeed. Yes time for us to make a gratitude list! Thanks for reading, Richa! ♥️
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A story of each one of us how thoughtfully put Shwe
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Thank you so much, Aksh! ♥️
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You are so well writing to the prompts…in fact those gratitude list 👌
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Thank you so much chechi. Gratitude lists are what can help us get through these difficult times!
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Yep..very true,.. yeah,. I remember there was one of my posts regarding the same too.. I think, written ages back..titled something like”gratitude journal”
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