(This poem can be sung to the melody "Clang, Clang, Clang Went the Trolley," by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and sung by Judy Garland.)

With my questions teeming, with an open mind,
And with fear of what might come about,
I scoured the information and looked for inspiration
To deal with rampant doubt.
As the COVID virus spread around the globe,
It was not some silly little game.
It spread and it spread, and what lay ahead
Made it clear we'd remember its name.

Zoom, zoom, zoom went the virus--
Si-, si-, silent but real.
Why, why, why, asked the people,
Do we have to face such an ordeal?

Squirt, squirt, squirt went the vaccine
Pumped, pumped, into each arm.
Crossed, crossed, crossed went our fingers
That the vaccine would work like a charm.

Though not foolproof, somehow it works.
We know that vaccinations have a lot of perks.
We will be safe to a degree--
Safer than without it; that is a cinch to see.

Hiss, hiss, hiss went deniers.
Stop, stop, stop! went their screams.
Free-, free-, freedom! they shouted.
And the more that they squawked with their reasons half-cocked,
We could tell…
They enjoyed raising hell.

Why do they have to be so strange?
Maybe there is hope that some of them will change.
Why don't they listen to the pros,
And stop believing lies that add to all our woes?

Sniff, sniff, sniff go our noses.
Swish, swish, we wipe our tears
As we remember our loved ones.
After we've dodged the darts
Let us hold in our hearts all the vast
Memories we've amassed.
What a blast! Not aghast we'll hold fast when at last
COVID'S passed. Yes, and THEN…
We'll be safe once AGAIN!

-by Bob B (10-20-21)