Pining Old Me Poem by Alem Hailu Gabre Kristos

From going out
I have to refrain
Terrified by the passing by
Corona thunder and
Pandemic rain,
Unlike in the past
Which is looming large
Again and again.
I have began
To pine
For old me
Freely out to
The neighborhood
And street
Somebody to meet
Somebody to greet.

Now after
A shock treatment
My reservation
I admit
In being picky
When choosing people
I meet.

"Love your friend
As yourself
As God said
It has dawned on me
In humanity's treasure trove
People should be placed above
Next to Almighty's love.
My behavior spiraling
Out of control
I stretched my imagination
As if God has secondary or no role.
As such,
Earthly pursuit
Was my goal
Now I reflect
Going to church
It has soul-uplifting power
As it is tantamount
With God keeping
In touch.
It also dawned
On me
Brushing shoulders
With collogues
Was beneficial
On my chair
Before I perch,
At times
To do reading research.

I realized the money
I used to stash away
To make hay,
While others were starving
Hard had no meaning.

I want to see
The broadmass
No more Afraid
Out to eke out
A daily bread!

I pined my liberty
Breathing oxygen free
Before the
Corona lockdown decree.

I want to project
My true face
Forced not on
My lovely face
A mask to place.

With a square shoulder
I want to walk
No more ringing
In my ear
The pandemic talk.
I want to rove the land
And fly on the sky
To feast my eyes
On touristic spots
Or goods to buy
May God allow me
To see such things again
Before I die.
I pine to see
The day
Undertakers are
No longer in a hurry
Fellow citizens
To bury.

I pray for
God's Mercy
Gramercy!

For now
Keeping social distance
Washings hands with soap
Putting on face mask
Sanitizing I advance.