Ritual

Monica Schwafaty

Coffee in bed
Courtesy of my fiancé
“Quarantine is not so bad”
Reach for my phone
Facebook, Instagram
Twitter, the news, email
#Verselove
Read it
Dissect it
Self-doubt
“Maybe, I’ll skip today”
Refocus
Read
Grateful for the early writers
Blown away by their talent
Brain at work

More coffee
Yoga time
What a treat
One may think I’ve forgotten
But that is not the case
My brain is at work
Yoga feels great
I feel more capable now
Energized, I get ready
Brain secretly at work

More coffee
Time to work
I turn on my computer
Grades
Google Classroom
Google Meet
Maybe today will go better
Teach
Break
Teach
Break
Teach
Break
Today is not better
Sick of virtual teaching
Parents
Students
It’s never-ending
Brain still secretly at work
Last cup of coffee
I’m exasperated

Empty cup
My brain reminds me
I need my refuge
I need my haven
I need my escape
I’m ready

Sipping hot tea
I start typing

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Bridge the Distance: An Oral History of COVID-19 in Poems Copyright © 2021 by Dr. Sarah J. Donovan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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