Two years after the breakout of COVID, UUNB members and friends wrote haikus to express their memories and thoughts about the pandemic as well as their hopes for the future.
We mask our faces In the fear of fog and doubt All paths are rocky. - Mary Powell Green fields beckoning Count lessons learned and move on Fingers crossed, eyes bright. - Mary Powell Time seems to stand still Good friends seem farther away But love connects us - Bruce Carpenter Since 2020 An all-out fight to survive Now we turn the tide - Kelly Schaefer Covid visiting Eating on the patio No masking required - Diane Pepin Another long night Nothing exciting to do But stay here with you - Diane Pepin My daughter arrives There’s a bright smile on her face Now my heart revives - Diane Pepin Granddaughter is born Covid says don’t see her now That did not stop me - Diane Pepin Shadow pear blossoms fatten shadow butterflies on a sky of earth. - William Mills We have visitors Deer, critters, birds, butterflies Few human pals, though - Sarah Laird Having to stay home Something I have never done How long can I last? - Peggy Vieira Getting projects done Doll clothes made and pictures hung Quarantine bonus! - Peggy Vieira Boundaries enclose What is safety really? Mist obscures the dawn - Judith Ferrari Fear breathed loneliness Shadows hovered the landscape Hope smiles once again - Irene Keller The world stood silent Bated breath in transition Inevitable - Chol Romero-Dungan A single moment Nature was as it should be A beautiful sight - Chol Romero-Dungan First we were afraid. Vaccines calmed us down. But still we wore masks. - Carolyn Carr The church closed its doors— cameras appeared on site. Zoom hosts soon followed. - Carolyn Carr Masks are coming off! The community is safe. Now coffee comes back! - Carolyn Carr Like new butterflies, We emerge from private places to dance in the sun. - Janyth Fredrickson How could a virus be red or blue? Get real, man. It’s really purple. - Janyth Fredrickson Stuck indoors alone my iPhone was my best friend You’re the exception - Trisha Stevens Northbound and Southbound all the freeways were quiet thanks to Covid-19 - Trisha Stevens Hard to understand why some won’t get vaccinated. What are they thinking? - Trisha Steven Masks hide others’ faces cover laughter, expressions communication - Trisha Stevens It could kill us all! So we stayed home and stopped living. Was that our best move? - Allen Somers Down, up, all around To vaccinate or not Many lessons learned - Bob Keyser Masking all the time No coffee drinking in stores No lost coffee cups! - Bob Keyser Pandemic, like war Part of human life on Earth Up to us to fix - Bob Keyser We stayed home in isolation. No hugs, no grandchildren, no Friday night dominoes. Life resumes, thanks, miracle vaccinations. - Joan McGaffic After two long years Even an introvert wails “Enough already!” - Jan Estes Washed produce outside. Let mail sit in the garage. Should I have washed the mail? - Daria Rabotkina At first, walks were fun. Food was fun as well to me. Then food ate my walks. - Daria Rabotkina School on Zoom for us. Why feeling tired more, not less? How low can this go? - Daria Rabotkina Masks saved lives again. I learn to smile with my eyes. Bummer. Lips forget. - Daria Rabotkina Want to hug someone! Whoa, radical. Now even Fistbumps bring goosebumps. - Daria Rabotkina Basically, homeschool. And, yet, I’m seeing others. I can’t touch through Zoom. - Nick McNally Trish Stevens welcomes Bob Keyser is president We’re no longer lost - Peggy Ornelas Stewart’s ponytail Judith’s engaging laughter Jan’s Sisyphus Hill - Peggy Ornelas SOS Food Bank On Wednesdays walking the walk Gathering to give - Peggy Ornelas Joan Rabb teaching us To serve people with little Makes Red Cross a truth - Peggy Ornelas And Thea makes five Who never thought ninety wasn’t young Never met our mom - Peggy Ornelas Silent streets at fist Waiting for the gunslinger To show up on Main - Bill McNally Marriage rates are up Cohabitation is king Your turn for the dishes - Bill McNally