This year has unravelled
like a discarded old sweater.
The sound of distant
traffic that died weeks ago
sounds closer now,
and the empty pandemic town
has started to regain its orange glow.
How long will we see the stars,
scattered like salt across the night sky?
We must not give in to temptation,
take our eyes off heaven,
knit everything back up
the way it was before.
Be careful what you wish for.
Kim M. Russell, 30th April 2020
A poem re-written for earthweal open link weekend
I’ve rewritten a response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads NaPoWriMo Day 20: When Good Wishes Go Bad from 20th April 2016.
writing in north norfolk 
Love the last line- such a meaningful warning as “normal” is being sought. And the image of stars like scattered salt. Lovely, Kim.
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Thank you, Rajani.
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kaykuala
How long will we see the stars,
scattered like salt across the night sky?
No one is able to tell. The consequences will be bad. What we know is to be staying home and be safe.
Hank
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That’s what I’m doing, Hank.😊
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Your warning is wise. A crisis is an opportunity to change for the better…or worse. Going back to the same old same old, is not really what will take us to a better place. Good writing!
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Thank you, Myrna!
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I love the stars scattered like salt across the sky.
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Thank you, Sherry.
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Most of us are not wishing to return to much of what was before…but that 1% will have its way it seems.
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This weekend has seen some awful behaviour over here, Kerfe, and I’m expecting a huge spike and another lockdown very soon. I’m staying at home!
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Yes. Trump has invited this chaos. Be careful what you wish for.
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What a great final line. Over here everything is going full speed ahead. It all seems quite mad to me. Some countries are already going into their second lockdown.
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What a great final line. Over here everything is going full speed ahead. It all seems quite mad to me. Some countries are already going into their second lockdown.
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Thank you, Suzanne. The UK, England in particular, now has the highest number of deaths and cases in Europe, and the government has mishandled the pandemic since it kicked off. I refuse to go back to ‘normal’. People are behaving irresponsibly and without any consideration, swarming to the coast and the countryside, having what they call ‘a good time’ with no social distancing, and then leaving all their rubbish behind them! We have seen spikes already and I can see another lockdown on the horizon, with more to follow if people don’t get a grip.
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It sounds awful there. The world has gone mad!
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So well said. love the images of the sweater and the stars beautiful.
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Thank you, Lindi!
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Be careful indeed! Perhaps instead we need to hold a wake for the way of life that didn’t serve life well at all. – Brendan
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Things need to change.
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