hope – daily moments March 29 2020 (senryû)

No alarms this morning…it is her day off. A sleep disturbed by dread and worry forces her to dive under her duvet giving her a sense of false security. It’s time to get up. No sounds in the stairwell like in the old “normal”. All in their own time now…a slower pace, a screaming silence in the halls.

Such a restless night worrying about her work yesterday. No matter how much she kept repeating, “Let it go, ride the wave and let it go”, it still stuck to her. And so she decides to look over her notes from yesterday and emails. Such a relief to humbly realize she had misinterpreted one message and a smile starts forming on her face.

She begins to write a letter of thanks to her managers for the support they have given her and her colleagues in the past ten days. It has been challenging to work from home for so many especially those with children. How to keep them busy…how to keep the teens at home without going stark raving mad?!

Looking at her street, she notices the odd cyclist braving the cold at 3C but the forecast is supposed to go up to 11 mid-day. Yes, she might go out for a walk later and wear only her Sketchers rather then winter boots…such a treat to walk in lighter footwear!

A yellow van with flashing lights parks in front of her building…her heart flip flops wondering who and what is happening? Is there a person who is sick? Is it Covid19 or something else? She dares not open her door to see in the hallway but peaks through the peephole and sees masked paramedics on her floor! Later she sees them wheeling out a woman from her floor…

(c)Clr ‘2020/03/26

She just may not go out today…

a jogger
passing a cyclist
life goes on

a jogger
mentally balanced
physically fit

passing a cyclist
leaning on a walking stick
a man shuffles slowly

life goes on
a women in labour
cry of a newborn

Dally moments March 26th 2020 a yellow van troibun

Yé! ma commande est arrivé

2020-03-262020-03-26 / Tournesol / Leave a comment

Oh les chips et le pepsi
certainement vont arrivé
Que j’ai hâte de savouré
une bonne bière pis steak haché

c’est le temps de la maudite
virus corona dix- neuf
pas le temps de magasiner
même pas l’droit de jouer d’hors

tout le monde vraiment poigné
pas le droit de travailler
parce que tous les politiciens
nous mets tous en quarantaine

Oh les chips et le pepsi
certainement vont arrivé
Que j’ai hâte de savouré
une bonne bière pis steak haché

les tits vieux on vraiment peur
pis y peuvent pas faire leur courses
ils doivent tous faire leurs commandes
l’internet ou leur voisins

Oh les chips et le pepsi
certainement vont arrivé
Que j’ai hâte de savouré
une bonne bière pis steak haché

Mais y manquait des produits
mon pot de beurre de peanut
pis dix livre de patates blanches
pis mon savon du dimanche

en r’gardant de mon balcon
les enfants et leurs parents
en vélos et espadrilles
distanciation sociale

on respecte distance physique
évitant de l’attraper
maudite corona dix-neuf
cause des maladies psychiques

Rester dont dans vos maisons
jusqu’à prochaine bonne nouvelle
que la maudite maladie
soient partie une fois pour toute

Oh les chips et le pepsi
certainement vont arrivé
Que j’ai hate de savouré
une bonne biere pis steak haché

Oh les chips et le pepsi
ma commande est arrivé
une bonne bière et steak haché
de mon Métro favouriiiiiiii!

one metre (senryû) – Daily Moments March 16/2020

2020-03-16 / Tournesol / Leave a comment

just one metre
keeping a safe distance
my community

You do what you can…every little bit helps.

Daily Moments March16 2020

Silent Sunday

2020-03-15 / Tournesol / Leave a comment

Daily Moments March 15 2020 symptoms of the human race

2020-03-15 / Tournesol / Leave a comment

Birds chirping
Willing spring to return
Hear the children laugh

School is out
Parents juggling what to do
Too many choices

Grandma’s stuck inside
Smiles from an open window,
Hearing nature’s song

Panic rises
Hoarding like there’s no morrow
Me, myself and I

Daily Moments March 15 2020 symptoms of the human race

Cycling in snowsuits…only in Canada! (haibun) Daily Moments March 8 2020

2020-03-08 / Tournesol / 1 Comment

Cycling in snowsuits…only in Canada!

Watching people walking to the park, she knew she must get out. Shut-in all day yesterday was just to nurse a cold and making excuses that she must not venture out into the public; but what about just going out for fresh air? But of course, that would be good for her both physically and emotionally.

She opened the windows of her condo for half an hour or so every day but that was not enough. She knew her mental state was stuck in mud that had dried up…sort of. A must to go out and see people! Tomorrow she would be hearing people and their trials and tribulations; trying to instill hope to continue on one more day or two. Indeed, she must go out.

Contemplating this, she saw two bicycles go by! One adult was dragging another bike with training wheels and another tiny bike was following behind. The children were dressed in snow pants and big bike helmets. [She wonders if a tuque fit under those big plastic headdresses.] Those big mittens must make it tricky to steer the bike too! Ah, bicycles with toddlers and children going for a Sunday ride…that surely is a sign that spring is around the corner!

sunny skies rule
just above point of freezing
luring shut-ins out!

sunny skies rule
painting curves on stiff muscles
bidding them to smile

just above point of freezing
daring to remove their tuques
wind blows in their hair

luring shut-ins out!
young and old find delight
spring is almost here

watching with renewed energy
from her living room window

slips on coat and boots
stepping into brisk cool air
twinkle in her eyes