Featured Poet of January

Congratulations to Marilyn Recht; Featured Poet of January! Marilyn Recht’s credits include columnist/copy editor for Creative Sugar and nycfoto.com, and contributing poet to Contraposition and other independent publications. In 2016 she wrote and produced a successful one-act off-Broadway play entitled "Three’s a Crowd". Her published poetry book is entitled "She Must Have Been a Giant". She participated in NYC’s downtown performing arts scene with poetry readings and short theater pieces. 

Marilyn has worked in most aspects of publishing, marketing, and advertising as well as a short stint in early childhood education. Her website is http://mazrecht.wixsite.com/alma and she can be reached at mazrecht@gmail.com.

PANDEMIC (Spring 2020)

By Marilyn Recht

The streets are eerily empty

The few walking masked and gloved

Cherrry blossom trees obliviously blooming-

This virus is all too human, 

Conveyed through facial drops.

Comorbid conditions accelerate infection

We’re cozy inside while the country dies. 

The news shows makeshift morgues

An overflow of corpses

Buried in Potter’s field, The Bronx,

While the bereaved grieve home alone. 

The hospitals are overwhelmed

We took action much too late. 

The infected can’t be treated

The asymptomatic can’t be tested

So they self-quarantine,

Washing hands till raw,

AKA the surgical way:

Lace fingers, scratch sides, scrub palms,

Circle thumbs then rub the wrists,

Which I do without confidence.

Every tic, I’m afraid I’m sick,

Will dizziness lead to fever 

Was that dry cough 

Am I short of breath.

Though I joked when my husband sneezed:

“You gave me coronavirus!”

All bodily flaws give pause,

Listen-

Nothing will be the same.