Nothing much seems to have changed here.

Morning birdsong anthem rings out to announce another spring;

the daffodils nod to the beat of the shepherd's rattling truck and trailer searching for ewes and new born lambs;

trees pop leaves; squeaky grass grows defying the lawnmower.

 
Our little road: a woodland oasis, has lost the impatient roar of cars trying to beat their neighbours to town;

the discordant sirens on the A road do not shout "Accident!" but gasps for a rapid rush for oxygen.

We do not hear the fears of the village up river....

but whispers ripple down the Tweed all the same,

countered by kind hands delivering meals and shopping.

We know they are there - the breeze tells us.

 
May 2020

This poem was written in April 2020 and May 2020 in response to the start of lockdown. We live 2 miles away from the village of Walkerburn but we knew what was happening thanks to the internet and phone calls

Passing strangers

Looking and not looking

Masked and not masked

To the empty waiting place.

To the first cross I have to bear

And start my stammering walk.

Two metres in four gentle strides.

Maybe if I stretch a bit, I could do it in three.

Maybe it would be quicker that way.

Or maybe I should take five or six

That would be the mindful way

And it would pass the time.

Or I could do a quickstep

Or a slow fox trot

From cross to cross

With an imaginary partner.

But I don’t know how to dance. Pity.

Like a fan to a flame, fear is fuelled by the vacuum between compassion and understanding.  

In a year where fear seemed certain to steal centre stage, I have found solace and hope in places I least expected.  

Let’s fill that void together.

March 2020 – chest pains strengthen, cough worsens, 48 hours of all-consuming exhaustion. Eight frustrating years ago post-viral chronic fatigue (ME) stopped my world. Pacing lessons prevented total invalidity but hourly struggles remained. I remember the drill. Gritting teeth I slowly move forward every day. I can shower and wash in the same morning. I can make a meal and enjoy it. I play music. I sing, loudly. I dance. No exhaustion. Can it be…? Dare I do more...? Has it gone…? Yes, it really has. I have had a reboot, I am free.

In these strange days
The familiar slips away
A spectre cuts a swathe  
Through generations  
A tide of loss
  Governments count the cost
billions of national debt
We mourn the dead  
never got to say goodbye  
Isolated tears we shed
Behind curtained veil
The intimacy of strangers  
Cleaner  
Carer
Doctors nurse  
The undertaker  
Packs away our grief
  at quiet social distance  
On the internet confusion is sown
In lies and spite
Somewhere there is talk of
  Rights, then denial
  I Fragile  
At night my heart pounds
From stage one to four
I await the gift of freedom .

Days before lockdown he moves in.

The forced acceleration of a planned process, a 400 mile dash in a rented van.

He arrives at night, boxes fill the hallway, the dog barks. Into my house a new groove.  

Suddenly the same frames hold new moulds. Different rhythms dance into old routines. There is depth and dimension to forgotten space.

The children are bedazzled and apprehensive. It has been a long time since they knew a male presence.
 

Days into August he moves out. The planned conclusion to a delayed plan. A new street but the same energy. Our foundations solid.

Story

We live in a scary world today

It’s different than before

No more hugs kissing

Our happiness gone away like never before

The virus has taken our loved ones away

Families suffering like never before

The fear of the unknown has arrived

The worry of what will happen tomorrow to you and me

Corona virus on our minds

Corona virus everywhere

Our lives in danger like never before

We practice social distancing every day to keep the virus

at bay  

as we shop in different ways

Were asked to stay at home like never before

When will this virus ever go away?

But I promise

I’ll love and pray for everyone suffering

every day.

Vision

I wish everyone peace and love

and happiness and try enjoy the

rest of the year and please stay safe

and sound in life and help the sick

and elderly people who need it mostly

In life take care and enjoy the rest of

the year. Peace and love always.

God bless you all.

80 days around the room

Grounded together with all the planes

Long days and nights  

of cancelled holidays and late spring sunsets…

Around and around!
 

Back and forth!
 

The room, the books, paints and the internet

Bringing you closer than to meters

To my ear

To my heart.

Story

In the foreign country of last year, I was making plans: birthday celebrations with family and friends. But as January stuttered into February and February roared into March, coronavirus forced me to stop. With the pandemic, the pause button was pressed. Life as I had known it, gone. Dates in my diary, like a row of dominoes came toppling down. Forthcoming events, cancelled, postponed to another time. My dreams came to nought. Held back with fear, in this now, I wait out time. To live a life, unplanned. The new normal.

Vision

Unescapable Conversation About a New World

Time, I beg you to stop

The incursion of tomorrow.

Unescapable change

Accelerated.

Hope, I grasp onto

Renaissance of community,

A voice to rouse

The conversation.  
 

Visionaries I trust, will

Fight for a better deal.

Realizing choices for

For a new world.

Story

(08.15, 7th May 2020, Portobello Beach)

The sun wears a necklace

above an almond brown beach

undulating like wavy hills waiting for castles.

Water: blue, navy blue, white and pearl —

far away, where turquoise meets Spring air,

cargo ships sleep under the Glory.  

Gannets bob on the water,

a whippet runs back to its mistress,

beneath my foot a cockle shell,

half hidden in the sand,

shines red and gold.

That morning in May the sun had a circular rainbow hanging from it, called ‘a glory’; there were six cargo boats on the horizon.

Vision

The Thistle

Thistle roots go deep

self seed in sparse conditions

are valued by bees.

Story

In lockdown I've been Travelling

Virtually, all round the place

No visa, queues, or airports

No clothes to pack away

No visa application

No queue to get stuck in

No boring flight to while away

That sounds like a win-win

No quarantine to get through

To social distance, not

Back into the transporter

"Beam me up, Mr Scott”

Been back to visit places

I first went to in my youth

And some I never saw before

No bums obscuring views

I could have been to India

Without the culture shock

A sanitised view of the world

Although I have a lot

Of memories to look back on

Of thoughts to make me smile

Music will also transport me

Without moving a mile

Jackie Kay’s a feisty wife

She fights her corner, too

Such an interesting life

And always does things on cue

At opening Scottish Parliament, spoke

Encouraging local pride

In “oor culture”

So long denied....so long denied

In  “ither” times, was seen as “thrawn”

Now looked on as just “strong”

It’s just society showing change

A shame it took so long

Life is a game of two halfs

The young, noisy invincible

A life that’s lived

Then contrary, old, irrational

The u turns just go on and on

From politics to Proms

The answer might be “in the wind”

But “we shall overcome”

Story

COVID-19 We needed to change to help those in need!

Isolation, loneliness and fear of being old

Is difficult at any time, but more so when you’re told

No face to face interaction, no family visits. It’s safer to be alone!

But what about the mental health of those on their own

Use Zoom, WhatsApp or Skype they said – that’s easy for those who know

Our older folks, however, don’t use tech to say hello

We switched our services remotely, to support those lonely, afraid and shielded

And did our best for the older folk because this was #NeverMoreNeeded

Vision

At CLASP, we have a vision where everyone, particularly those in our older community, can use essential digital skills to connect and communicate. Where no one is isolated at home alone, and where communities regularly come together to provide support and friendship.

Story

retirement from the NHS

no send off or party preceding a new possible

trips abroad, painting class and book club

not needed to return and help, how to fill time

staying safe indoors, clapping for carers

when and how will this end?

friends distanced and alone,

reaching out to help, zooming

podcasts and

daily walks, body stretching

lush new growth 

breathe in the peace.

Story

In lockdown I've been Travelling

Virtually, all round the place

No visa, queues, or airports

No clothes to pack away

No visa application

No queue to get stuck in

No boring flight to while away

That sounds like a win-win

No quarantine to get through

To social distance, not

Back into the transporter

"Beam me up please, Mr Scott”

No fetid smell, no culture shock

Computer screen and mouse

The scenery is changing

No need to leave the house

No fever, fear of illness

No panic "what to wear"

No time zones to upset me

In travels from my chair

Lockdown - the unknown, my life started to fall apart. I felt apprehensive moving back to my parent’s house.

One form of exercise a day was hard. Going for runs helped me fight my mental health demons. Reading mindfulness and therapeutic colouring in helped in times of frustration, anxiety and uncertainty. Calls from volunteer work and from OT Staff helped, as did the activities they sent.

As restrictions began to lift, my mental health also began to improve. I felt a sense of relief and more independence. Being back home and finding a new normal has got me through

Story

I was walking along a narrow road,

The road opened and it swallowed me up,

When I got further along,

The road opened up and it spat me out,

And it said to me,

“Don’t walk along my beach again or I will kill you.”

“No matter what! ”

Story

2020 has been a rollercoaster.Who knew that this pandemic would happen? This pandemic turned my life upside down, there was a lot of chaos and fear and everything was slowly shutting down. I was left clueless and it affected my mental health being in lockdown. As months went by I told myself it’ll al be fine and I’m finally getting back on my feet and making changes into my routine and life. I still hope that this pandemiv will pass by and we’ll all be safe.

Vision

My visions for the future would be that we’d improve to make the environment a better place along with having a cure for Covid. 2020 has so far been a lesson learned in my opinion due to the having realisation of how corrupted the environment has been so far and how negelcted it’s been. I have hope that we’d all improve and be grateful for what we have.

Story

The Royal Mile, lonely with its ghosts

Untoured they rest in imposed peace

Of the Covid stripped streets

But here and there are sparks of hope

Struck from the steel of the city’s folk

Who will not be beaten down

The Albanach and Clam Shell form

An angled axis across the street

Arms linked against a common foe

Shine beacon like, safe harbours

Against this storm of fear and illness

Defiantly shout ‘we’re here for you’

We will be joined by more, no doubt

To welcome our evacuees back

This city is way too old to be left alone

A Royal Mile, lonely with its ghosts

With hope for better days

Anton Grashion, July 2020

Story

Blended working, office and home,

Virtual catchups over Zoom,

Local holidays, sunshine and hail,

Return to nature, whisky trails,

Shop independent, online goods,

Supporting folks in your neighbourhood,

Ditch the plastic, vegan meals,

Walking, cycling, electric wheels,

Hero medics, and teachers too,

The future’s ours, what will we choose?

Oct 2020

Story

The rot set in with Novichok

At least it seems to me

It’s not such an uncommon thing

A slow days’ news story

But our lot’s not much better

Getting bolder all the time

In these strange days of covid

Excuses they will find

Australia has plans to make

Vaccinations “a must”

I can’t see that going down too well

In lands of drought and dust

The people will not take to

Such cavalier dictate

For they are not so shy

"Back off, that’s MY shout, mate! "

So good luck with that thought and

Try not to be too tough

It’s not too late to change your mind

You’ll find out soon enough

Story

We stayed home, stopped work, broke bonds, felt hurt,
Busied up and baked bread, painted halls, lopsided heads
Amongst the crumbs and sploshy tears
Solitary hours erased helpful deeds
Battered by the pain
Alone would be

Feart and hangin: plans and dreams gone
We prayed for a path through to help us haud on

Our parks were bursting, green spaces more dear
The truth of our loves overwhelmingly clear
So we learned to protect our fragile hearts
And built a harlequin fence from wee rainbow parts

Story

It started with a new plot,
on a new site,
a wee half plot,
with a wee brown shed.
Work to be done,
paint the shed, and the bench,
dig the beds,
keeping busy.
Preparing for spring,
it’s not a normal year,
there’s sun in March,
and there’s a virus afoot.
Calm turns to panic,
plant, plant, plant,
before lockdown,
before the allotment closes.
Repreive for now,
normality resumes,
back to the plot,
my haven of tranquility.
Pottering and chatting,
from a distance,
making new friends,
talking shop and Corona.
Feeling privileged,
to be in this space,
where magic happens,
from seed, to life, to plate.
And nature continues,
the birds sing, louder,
the tatties grow, bigger,
at Inverleith Allotment city

Story

Grand plans, early laid

U.S. to Edinburgh, move?

Pandemic. Delays.

A flight, quarantine

A flight, quarantine  

Red stone gallery, our view

Gracious gifts given 

Story

2020…Amazing

Weird Boredom Annoying Happy? Confusing Deadly Difficult But Tolerable...What is life?

Story

Modern Darkness  

Locked in/ Locked down... Incarceration

Divided/grouped... Segregation

Be safe/stop germs/don’t touch... indoctrination

Fear... predjudice/fear... judgement/fear... confusion/fear, fear...

A hidden enemy? Hidden faces. Modern darkness.

Story

OOR MESSAGES

Thursday finds us at the top o’ the stairs  

Waiting for oor delivery

Then I hear the sound o’ heavy breathing

And shout “Here comes the cavalry”

Yes, the driver’s coming up the stairs

Thank God he’s got the messages

“John, get ready wi’ the coal tar soap

But dinnae wash the sausages”

The water seeps through and gies them a funny taste

So the sanitiser will jist have tae dae

It’s thicker ye see and stays on the tap

So we’ll rub it all over and prevent a mishap

“It’s OK John, I’m no’ washing yir nuts”…….  

"Writing little ditties and longer poems has helped me to express my ever changing emotions during this difficult time".

This poem was written as an "update" after we came out of lockdown but while in Tier 2 as an echo of my poem "Covid Lockdown May 2020", selected by the Gallery in the first week of exhibitions.

Story
Covid-19 Lockdown Tier 2 Nov2020

 
Nothing much seems to have changed here.

But

morning birdsong stays almost silent.

The daffodils wait under cold soil and dying leaves;

tree branches bare, grass lies down weary.

Our little road: a woodland oasis, carries exercising cyclists along;  

what do the discordant sirens on the A road shout? Is it "Accident!" or worse?

We still do not hear the fears of the village up river....

but whispers continue to hurry down the Tweed all the same,

kind hands keep delivering meals sharing all they can;

We know they are there - the winter storms tell us.

Story

After years of planning, eventually everything came together at the craziest of times and so on the 23rd of March this year, I immigrated from South Africa, with my husband and two daughters. We were literally on the last plane out the country and arrived in an eerily quiet London. Now in lockdown in Edinburgh, life continues to be unsettled, but I count my blessings and continue to take it one day at a time.