My friend Val lives in Westchester and travels to the city each day for work. She has been describing to me the dystopian feel of her days. An empty ghostlike grand central station, fearful commuters and anxious parents are just a few of her observations. Below is her as yet unpublished COVID-2019  Lament (NYC/March 2020)

 

The cavernous Grand Central is virtually empty

save for those few who trudge through.

Heads down, almost sheepish they go,

to offices that echo with loneliness.

The streets fare better, bikers and walkers

Afraid of the air and surfaces below.

Children on their way to school

Blissfully unaware of the threat.

Parents hold their hands, their only way

to try and keep them safe.

Workers at home, locked in,

Protected against what is out there.

For how long do we burrow,

closets teeming with supplies.

Spring may come and go without notice,

but we can’t