Grim thoughts, rather flawed

With apologies to Robert Browning and his celebration of an English springtime: ‘Home thoughts from abroad‘

Oh to be in England,

Now that Covid’s here.

And whoever comes to England 

Will find people unaware

That masks are meant to hold germs in

Not languish, limp, beneath the chin.

We’ve got to keep the rules somehow – in England, now.

Autumn’s gone, let winter follow:

‘Our Christmas spoilt! How grim the morrow!’.

Ah!  Where once our weeks were crammed quite full

Of work and friends and all that kind of biz, 

Our new life’s this, it’s really rather dull.

Get used to it, ‘cos that is all there is.

Our freedom’s lost and with it all recapture

Of any carefree sense of rapture.

But though our lives look rough, with pleasures few

All will be fine when once the vaccine’s due.

The hugs and handshakes all will start again

And this past year will all feel quite insane.

MTL: November 2020
Yarolsave Darylche (Pexels)

The featured image shows a socially distanced Masham Market during the first lockdown.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

69 thoughts on “Grim thoughts, rather flawed”

  1. Well, not sure about “All will be fine when once the vaccine’s due.

    The hugs and handshakes all will start again

    And this past year will all feel quite insane.”
    Longer than a year, methinks

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  5. Heavens- I thought I was gloomy! 🙂 🙂 Love the ML! And I thought vaccines didn’t work on viruses? Time will tell and I’m not being a guinea pig! Love your six words plus, Margaret. Did I understand you to be busy this afternoon too? Sun’s out now, so who knows?

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    1. Well, flu’s a virus … And I’m happy to be a guinea pig. I was busy – talking to The Team, which today included Cee, which was fun. It was chucking it down. Hope your concert went well.

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      1. The only time I had a flu jab it made me extremely ill. 😦 I did think I might get back, and was going to share a photo or two but really, a wonderful afternoon. They played indoors, in a high-ceilinged beautiful room, with the windows thrown wide and decent space between the tables. Their last opening of the year and a lovely atmosphere. Made up for some of the negatives this week. 🙂 🙂

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      2. I’m glad the week finished well. I’ve had a flu jab every year since the year we both had full-blown flu over Christmas and for six weeks after. I’d had no idea that flu was so thoroughly awful. I’m banging on the door of the surgery as soon as they release the current year’s supply!

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  9. Cheers to your creativity. With every line, I was either nodding or smiling. 2020 has been a different year – can’t wait for it to move on. Meanwhile, we must be patient and do our part …. but things getting worse here.

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  12. Great poem and “improvements” to the ML. My GP said to expect 2 years before it’s all over. I’d just like free access to my children and grandchildren.

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  13. Favorite part: “That masks are meant to hold germs in/Not languish, limp, beneath the chin.” We have a joke in our household about masks worn incorrectly – chinstrap, earring and Pinnocchio. 😉

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  14. How marvellously talented you are! Such a great parody. People wearing masks under their chins or under their noses drives me crazy, but I must admit the other day in a rather warm ASDA I was tempted to rip mine off, I could barely breathe! I loathe wearing the things. As for the jab, I’ll let you go first. I have never had a flu jab, but this year I thought maybe I ought to, but after 10 days of trying to get through to our GP surgery I was told they had no appointments left and to try again in a week’s time in case they had made other arrangements! I may not have many places to be, but hanging on the telephone all afternoon every day is asking too much. God knows how they’ll roll out THE vaccine…

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    1. I know about mask-hating. I was volunteering in the library, but 2 1/2 hours straight of mask-wearing is beyond me, so I’ve given up. As to the flu jab – we had ours at the chemist – their queues seem shorter? Yes, the vaccine could be challenging. Malcolm should get his in an early roll out, but even that may not be pronto.

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  16. I’ve been collecting lockdown memes. This one of Mona Lisa is brilliant. Re. mask wearing – the same can be said here in Greece where it is now mandatory to wear them both outside and inside communal areas (but thankfully, not your own home!). I’ve seen under the chin and hanging from one ear like an enormous earring.

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  17. oh this is just perfect . . sums it all up brilliantly. I am with you on the vaccine, MrB will definitely get it because of his age and health stuff, and I plan to play I am a carer to make sure I get one too.

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  18. Masks are mandatory here and in our area the shops enforce wearing them although increasingly one sees people pushing them down below the nose or even chin. It is not pleasant wearing them in this heat, but better then risking getting infected. Sorry to hear about the surging infections in the UK and in Europe and elsewhere. Here we have had a plateau since end of August but cases are starting to rise again. So awful.
    I could relate to your clever and sobering poem though any vaccine here is far off. It would be good if at least the health workers can be vaccinated. I really feel for them.
    Let’s continue to hope that significant corners may be turned in the New Year.
    Take care.

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  19. When in Albania visiting the bank I was told to wear my mask. I had no problem. Once inside I was the only one wearing it properly. Everyone else had it under the chin.. 😉

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