By Karlie Mickanuik
Here is a small collection of some poetry I have written during this trying time. Please share your quarantine poetry to any of the NAIT Nugget social medias.
Hair
“It’ll grow back”
I say as I eye the scissors
“It is on your bucket list”
I think as I reach for the Clippers
“It’s only hair”
At the end of the day it is only hair
But it is so much more than that
It’s the people needing to post on social media when they mess with their hair because you can put a funny filter on and people say
“Oh it’s just quarantine crazies”
And think you are okay when really you are far from it
It’s the husband’s who hair has been butchered with kitchen scissors by their partners and they don’t have the heart to say they don’t like but laugh alongside their husbands and wives because
“It’ll just grow back”
It’s the teens at 3 a.m. with a bottle of liquid courage and colourful dye lathering their hair with something new just to feel a sense of control in this uncontrollable world. And people will say
“It’s just hair, right”
Are we all actually okay. What do I do when I run out of hair? I can’t keep cutting forever.
Where do I turn to when my last bottle of dye is used up and i can’t leave my home.
What can I do to feel a sense of control I so desperately crave?
You see, it isn’t just hair to me.
All in the silence
GOD WHY CAN’T YOU JUST DO SOMETHING
im breathing
ALL YOU DO IS SIT AROUND AND STARE AT THE CEILING
no im breathing.
YOU CAN’T JUST SIT INSIDE ALL DAY AND WASTE AWAY
Quiet im trying to breathe
START BEING PRODUCTIVE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE
i am. i am breathing.
THATS NOT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU NEED TO DO MORE
this is all i can do right now
THAT’S NOT OKAY
yes it is
Falling
Is now the right time to be falling in love?
While the world falls apart and people fall to pieces I am falling in love with you. Falling faster and faster for you every second we’re together.
I started falling when we danced around the kitchen while cooking.
I fell when you were softly singing while I slept beside you.
I fell again each time we had a four a.m. conversation.
I fell hardest when we tried to sleep on the floor in our day clothes.
I realized I fell when you were singing in the shower and I couldn’t stop smiling.
We were locked in your home together as friends when this began but came out closer on the other side. You opened your home to me when the virus stole mine and you opened your heart to me when I stole yours.
Essential
I am considered essential
But there’s nothing admirable to it
Not a nurse or doctor saving lives
Not a cop or firefighter keeping us safe
Just a poor worker living on the minimum
Living paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet
There’s nothing special about me
The commercials aren’t talking about me
There is no benefit to being me
And maybe yes I am acting selfish
But I never wanted to be essential
I never wanted to live each day the same
I despise my work
I despise my days
I despise waking up to live the same day over and over
Yes I am essential
But there’s no honour here
I am essential you say
There’s nothing essential here I say
You say this needs to be done
I say this only pays my rent
