From the Office of the
Prince George’s County Poet Laureate
‘What Time It Is – COVID-19’
© 3/22/2020, J. Joy “Sistah Joy” Matthews Alford
These times seem unreal
Yet this is what time it is
No time for hand-wringing
It’s hand-washing that saves lives
Yes, God has a plan
And cleanliness is next to Godliness
In the face of coronavirus
We’re used to having what we want
Going where we want
With whomever we want
Doing what we want just because
Now everything’s on pause
While we wait, we wash our hands
Exposure, infection, fatalities
Continue to soar
Increased global, national and local
COVID-19 cases confirmed around the world
As CDC, WHO and NIH search for vaccines
We check their websites daily
Tune in to CNN and MSNBC
For continuous coronavirus coverage
Searching for updates, see what they say
No longer laughing at those who pray
With hushed but not silent voices we wash our hands
The search is on for test kits, masks, hand-sanitizer
We pray that we, our families, hospitals and caregivers
Stay coronavirus free
Our language has changed
Social distancing, personal protective equipment
Self-quarantine, shelter-in-place
We struggle to maintain
Six-foot separation in public
Home-schooling our youth
Even attend virtual church services
And like Pilate, we wash our hands
Amid isolation, depression, fear
And other health-based realities of this pandemic
The economic fallout grows daily
As we await a trillion-dollar rescue plan
We are ever reminded that
Like the handshakes of yesterday
Coronavirus seals the deal
If we don’t each do our part
So we wash our hands and pray
This is what time it is
Camp Springs Civic Association 