Kindred Spirits

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

It has been on the cards for some time that London and parts of Essex would join much of the North of England and be in tier three - the highest tier, with the most stringent Covid-19 safety regulations - after midnight tonight. Someone in a shopping queue commented that, being so close to Christmas, it would see some businesses go under. "Not just business," someone else said, "People, too." Someone else added, "It's make or break time all round. I, for one, can't take much more of this..."

It has been a tough year worldwide, and even though vaccines are on the way, it will be some time yet before we can expect anything resembling 'normal' life to be resumed. The stress is telling on many, and mental well-being is a worry for everyone.

As a child, I used to be afraid of the dark. My mother told me I must be strong and face up to it. "Confront your enemies and the chances are they won't bother you again," she said, "Run away from them and you'll be running all your life."

So, yes, a second wave of Covis-19 and news of a variant form of it will strike fear into most of us; we can but follow the safety regulations, put our fears to one side and confront the coronavirus. Not only will it make us stronger in mind-body-spirit, but (fingers crossed) the coronavirus it will (eventually) concede defeat. 

As for the how-why-when of it all (and us) therein lies the ever-present X-factor...

Today's poem is a kenning.

KINDRED SPIRITS 

I fly like a bird
through the seasons of its life,
never on a whim,
but taking my cue from life forces
more likely to make
than break me for weathering sun,
heavy rain even snow,
come a light, gentle breeze or cruel wind,
not unlike humankind 

I flower like a rose
through the spring of early days,
taking its cue
from such life forces as likely to make,
as break us,
where beauty feeding on sunshine
and a little light rain
or taking a battering from some cruel wind,
not unlike humankind 

I mature like a tree,
confronting the seasons of its time
head-on,
for taking its cue from such life forces
more likely to make
than break us for seeing such diversity
of elements creating history,
though an axe as likely to get the upper hand,
knowing humankind 

I am that kindred spirit within Earth Mother
that tears humanity apart, patches it together

 Copyright R. N. Taber, 2020