POETRY

A Covid poem

A New Zealander’s perspective — where currently there is no community transmission.

Confusing times: Stormy, sunshine, rainstorm, and a rainbow — this scene has it all. Photo by Bruce Hudson

It came silently from overseas
We could not run or hide
The well and sick and young and old
Whose fate we must decide

With measures placed and borders closed
Active infections grew
We were doing our very best
Lives lost — there were a few

The curve of active cases bent
exactly as desired
as things were getting better
patted backs were very tired

Community transmission was zero
Rewarded for our pain
We were ready for the next outbreak
And beat Covid again

In NZ we now are safe and sound
Arrivals in quarantine
Only twenty-five souls perished
While the world outside screams

We in New Zealand watch the world struggle with horror — and wonder why others don’t do what we have done?

Why I’m almost embarrassed to be a New Zealander.