O' Death, Have Mercy - (Covid - 19) Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

Call it - Unity in Fear
or fear in unity.
O" how the world trembles
to hear of corona virus patients
increasing day after day?
What is the fear
why is there unity in fear?

Where was such fear
when African nations
faced starvation?
Where was such fear
when Syrians kept running
due to a waging war?
where was such fear
when so many people
faced terror attacks
and died in bomb blasts
in public places
and in places of worship?

These were all News Headlines
to the ears of many,
but they were forgotten stories
after a few weeks
once they were heard
and seen on Television constantly.

But now the Covid-19 News brief
is like a wildfire;
as the virus is everywhere;
has it come to stay?
it makes everyone to live,
to wake up and sleep
in fear and apprehension.

No one dares to walk out
without alertness or precaution;
there is only a mask
on their nose and they feel
they are so equipped, devoid of fear
though fear of infection
never abandons their insight;
however, as they live, they worry
they whisper- God, let it not be me!

But before they know it,
they are invaded by the deadly virus;
they are suffocating,
choking, unable to breathe;
fever, coughing, all so real;
it is time to die
they won't survive -
tells the news anchor.

What is God's plan?
that in togetherness to live
and in unity to die?
what is man's plan
in fear of unity to walk
and yet not be close to one another?

Or is it unity of fear
that makes the world to worry
and be afraid of the virus;
a virus that has no cure
no remedy, no survival,
no visibility, no siren
yet it makes human race
to exist in awe and anxiety.

Is it a prayer
or is it just waiting
that will take this fear away?
or is this the way to solve this puzzle
that as man worries, he hurries,
hides indoors, quarantine himself
so that death never finds him?

Death the inevitable
death the sequel to life
death the final curtsy
death which will decide whether
life shall be or not be;
O death, please have mercy,
for mercy itself is also so divine.