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
The featured image shows a socially distanced Masham Market during the first lockdown.
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
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