Is This What It Takes?

Is this what it takes?                           

do you see it?                                   

do you smell it?

               can you sense it?

               

it’s all around us...             

...the foul scent of fear and isolation,
infecting our world
            like the very contagion
                      that caused it

-

unchecked, it spreads fast           

seeking out the young, the old,

the weak, the able, the fairest

                                                and the darkest of hearts

alike

regardless of colour, creed, race or caste…

            …an inclusivity, that humans would do well to learn from

what do we do?                how do we react?

we isolate

we adapt

we find things to occupy

our lives

we comply,

we re-invent,

and continue…

…because, we are human…its what we do…

…if we sat idle,

the would’ve, could’ve and should’ve thoughts

                               are too many

and so very scary

 

 

so, we carry on with precious life as best we can…

    ...we awaken,  

                        we give thanks,

                                    seeking new meaning in solitude,

finding solace in nature…

…looking for magic and mystery in quietude
recognizing the beauty that exists…

…with every rising sun

 …in the moonlit and moonless nights

and in every gust of wind,

losing ourselves in books, movies
and music…
…searching for some peace
amidst the anxiety and chaos

and,

 in going back to the basics

we re-learn to live and feel
                                               in order to heal

                the hours seem longer

and the days blend into one another

                                as we continue to ponder

                                                our unpredictable future

and even though we stand                 six feet                        apart
in our distancing and forced isolation,
          on the brink of this dark oblivion,
                                                we remain

somewhat collected, united and together

 

but the “truth” is so much more

                        than just the crisis at hand…

 history shows us that we have good reason

to mistrust everything,

especially one another…

-we pretend to be  

rash

while treating others like trash

-we say what we do not mean

and mean what we do not say

-we seem to be
 excellent communicators,
but constantly speak in riddles

-we wear our masks well,

everyone, everyday, everywhere…

 …so well, that we forget

who we really are

and who or, what we can be (for each other)…

 

the most reasonable act

would be to set

all our excuses, facades and differences

aside    

 

for, at the very core of humanity,

lies a common actuality…

-a shared wisdom…

…an inherent tendency towards

peaceful unity

 to help reclaim our sanity
from the ashes of our self-inflicted calamities

i remain in constant awe

of what we are able to accomplish

when we choose to ignore

                 our petty differences,

and come together

for a common cause,

for life,

for humanity,

for our communities…

 

…and as communities,

we have responsibilities…

                …each one of us has a choice

           each one of us has a voice

…it is about how we choose to live…                                                        …with or without limitations

                                                and with or without inhibitions

 

we may fail to see,

but the possibilities

are quite plenty

and right here, within our midst

 sure,

we cannot unhear the things we’ve heard,

unsee the things we’ve seen

or, undo the things we’ve done

we cannot help but be

constantly worried

about who or what’s lurking

                                                around the next corner

but then, something happens…

an emergency,

   a calamity that affects

the whole of humanity

bringing us face to face with our mortality

                      reminding us

of who we really are and who we can be

and that is when

we rise to the occasion

  and we shine…

…we hear beyond hearing,

we look and see what we commonly do not,

we feel beyond the sense of touch…

…our souls connect

we unite

we fight

…not each other, but together

without

     any financial motivation or

the violent retaliation

that we are so used to

  and without the vengeful obsession    

that we are so prone to pass down

from generation to generation

 

and even though we still stand         six feet                        apart

in our distancing and forced isolation,

          on the brink of this dark oblivion,

we survive…      

…together

 we heal…

…together…

...as one

So, this is what it takes

 

This spoken-word-poem was inspired by the condition of our times before, and now during, COVID-19.

We have come together as a race, despite skin colour, caste, creed or origin because now we have a common enemy.

 It was originally written as a rant and some parts still read as a rant, but it evolved, as we, as human beings came together united in our fear, grief, to fight against COVID-19, setting aside our differences.