Coronavirus Poem by Paul Hartal

She is worried and frightened.
The covid-19 pandemic kills people.
It keeps a stranglehold on the world,
creating havoc and chaos in daily life.

Its stealthy agent, an invisibly small virus
with a diameter of around 120 nanometer
(0,00012 millimeter)has sickened millions
and killed already more than
one hundred thousand people.

Under the microscope
the tiny but murderous coronavirus
displays an attractive geometric pattern,
which contradicts Plato's view
that beauty and goodness
are bound to stroll hand in hand.

At present, in April 2020,
nobody knows when the epidemic will end.
But end it will.
The devious virus though might dance
a tarantella in the meantime.

Unfortunately, for now,
it teaches us a lesson in humility.
For, a brainless, invisible enemy
flaunting its little but arrogant crown,
has rendered and turned
"the Crown of Creation", man,
-man, with all his splendid intelligence,
sophisticated science and technology-
ineffective, helpless and impotent.

Nevertheless,
human intelligence, science and medicine,
combined with the indomitable human spirit,
the heroic struggle of doctors, nurses
and other health professionals
to save lives and squash the pandemic,
show the light in the end of the tunnel.

And the pandemic will exhaust itself one day.

For the moment,
she takes delight in having learnt
to make her own delicious bread at home.