HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
Our covetous world,
Stripped of all pretentions,
Trembles before invisibly marauding enemy.
For the first time since God knows when,
It is not the power-hungry territorial countries
Spreading unrest and even fear.
This secretive, all embracing entity
Has changed our civilised countries
Into ghostly communities.
Our homes for many, have become
A place of isolation
Missing the joy and solace
Of those who make life worth living.
No longer the sounds of children’s voices
Echo through the air.
The shuttered shops long for
The hustle and bustle of everyday business.
The pictures and the sculptures
Of our galleries, museums, places of worship,
Gaze soulfully in the empty edifices.
The unbelievably deserted streets
Bear witness to the all-out efforts
To banish the bearer of sorrow and misery.
The corona infiltrator scorns
The jewelled crown-like memories
Of childhood fairy tales.
It is a crown of thorns.
A portent of misery, suffering
And even death for some.
Yet, a long time ago,
There was an infamous crown of thorns,
Which also was the forerunner
Of a hideous death on a cross.
But glorious resurrection
Overcame despondence and despair.
And even now in our traumatic times,
There are those whose determination,
Love, endurance and hope
Have shone like bright beacons
In the sea of darkness and fear.
May the realisation of our whole world,
That we, the most sophisticated members
Of a precious inheritance,
Have a duty to live as a responsible,
Caring community irrespective of
Creed, race, colour,
Or all the other manifestations of the human race.
Remember. Spring, the enchanting Season of Re-birth,
Always follows Winter.
May our Resurrection
Heal the sorrows and give strength
To all who have lived through this biblical scourge.
Eileen Murray © April 2020
