Where do lonely hearts live,
getting by in this pandemic.
Elderly man in an old folk’s home
cooped up in his room alone,
with a deep sense of social isolation
that kills him one second
at time?

A twisted type of torture,
saving someone’s life
by slowly killing what
light they have left inside.

Can’t get out and exercise,
can’t have visitors over at night,
blood flow restricted
a convict who was never convicted.

Safely sequestered,
so family won’t be pestered,
because they are afraid to face
what waits for the whole human race.

But in this time and place,
in the pursuit of trying to save
this old man’s life
that have just sentenced him to die
a little bit faster and a lot lonelier.