Live to tell, or: Breathe

Posted on by ben Alexander

Poetry Partners #82

‘No, Covid is Not Gone Yet!’ a poem by Robert J Jr. of ‘Robert’s Snap Spot’

Unexpected change in life.
Omicron.

Emergency Room. Doom. Crying.
Pneumonia in Lungs. Not the fatal end… Huh! Sent home

Emergency Room. Admitted to COVID-19 ward, husband can visit.
Sunday, COVID ward, “COVID-19 Ward… No visit except EOL!

FaceTime becomes life. Lung doctors, Blood clots and ultra sounds.
Five times daily. No day spa.

Lung doctors, discharged oxygen “portable” and medications. Home! Ten steep steps up to apartment!

Hum of oxygen machine, air hose trailing. Taken breathing for granted?
Home Build lungs back. Walking slow, hose trailing.

Apartment second floor. Bridesmaids cackle, laugh under window, tourist! Did I mention unexpected change life?

Sit at the edge of the bed, Ok, Breathe.
Sit at the end of my favorite wingback chair, Ok, Breathe.

Stand up, slowly. Steady feet. Ok, Breathe.
Slow walk to the dining room table. Slow walk to the bathroom. Breathe.

Remember there is an oxygen hose always trailing. Over the your ears, in your nose.
Yes! Breathe! In the through the nose, then blow out the birthday candle. Breathe.

A ‘Cyrch A Chwta’ poem by ben Alexander of ‘The Skeptic’s Kaddish’

COVID, a new worldwide hell,
has left scores of tales to tell.
Death counts continue to swell...
many bid loved ones farewell.
Victims with damaged brain cells;
some can neither taste nor smell;
some short of breath or in pain...
Struck by strains none could foretell.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

List of Poetry Partners

33 thoughts on “Live to tell, or: Breathe”

  2. David, I tried to reblog your post but could not. Instead, I cut and pasted your poems with a link back to your site.

  4. These are wonderful poems. It is not over yet, and I am disturbed by those who think it is. Losing family and friends means even if this truly ever becomes a part of our past, it will still be a part of our grieving heart.

  5. As Yogi said, it ain’t over till it’s over. We can pretend all we want. A reflection of the experience of far too many. (K)

  10. So very true that this pandemic is still out there. With many nurses in the family, who have had COVID and are still struggling with the long term effects, I am painfully aware of the dangers. Both poems are accurate and terrifying!

  12. Excellent; thought provoking tale by Robert here of the long term effects Covid 19 seems to have on sufferers of it! In particular the breathing aspect! 👍👏 And you sum it up perfectly David in your
    description of the various strains and deaths suffered. You’re right, it hasn’t gone away!

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