Ode to COVID-19

We met at Kibroth Hattaavah
In a symbiotic palaver
We are thriving as joint decision makers
From a climate change crisis
And we were hard
As hard as air
And we were so bold to lay down our lives

We came in as a disease
Like slay yeasts
We infected thousands
Like personae non gratae
And we learned fast to be streetwise

Our infamy was heavy
But our aim was heaven
We dug in steep
And rallied deep
And prayed to God with all of our might
We had no science
To cure our signs

And it was dark
So dark as night
But held on to each other
Like nation to nation
We promised ourselves we’d prevail

And we will all go up together
We said we’d all go up together
Yes we’d all build Earth together
Remember China?
Remember America First?
We left our manhood
On Bigotry’s demands
And who was wrong?
And who was right?
It didn’t matter in the thick of the fight

We held the Wuhans
In our crowded prisons
We ruled the Futures
Of commodity prices
Through the stock markets
We held the grains
From the hungry Slumburbs

And we were hard
As hard as air
To social distancing
To remand prisoners who’d not get a godfather
And we all stood down from Hubris

Now we will all build Earth together
We said we’d all build Earth together
Yes we’d all build Earth together

Corona! You crowned us with science for our lost humanity.

*This ode is an adaptation of the lyrics of Goodnight Saigon by Billy Joel.

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