Haibun

THE NEW NORMAL   

The Apocalypse, Armageddon, Dystopia. The stuff of sci-fi and fantasy movies. Drastic scenarios of the imagination. 

Never to happen, never to come even close, never to nip at the fringes. Never say never. Attributed by some to Charles Dickens in Pickwick Papers. 

Never say never, because the beast is nibbling now, not the beast of the Black Death that plagued the globe in the mid-1300 hundreds. A smaller beast, not as ravenous, but cunning in its disguise, hiding behind a neighbor, a friend, a loved one. 

During the Black Death those who could left cities. 

social distancing

she and hubby converse

with texting

Streets emptied. Shops closed. Food was in short supply. People prayed for a miracle

for once, quick parking

leaving the market

with an empty cart

 Seven centuries later we wait for our miracle, a vaccine. In the meantime, we use technology and click, click our order; our children continue school; we communicate. All because of technology, a miracle of sorts, considering how people communicated during the Black Death. 

We do have spring slowly making her appearance, although we may not be noticing her. She comes in spurts and sprints, but she comes, stays a while and disappears.  Patience required. Patience in all things.

schedules we keep

each to its own time

emerging plants

morning coffee

fidgeting while waiting

for the pot to fill

Drifting Sands