Simple regulations

 

Simple regulations

 

Just wear a mask on your face

Give all people some extra space!

Wash your hands, keep them clean,

They might be hoarding things unseen.

 

We're frightened of invisible infection;

But we are lucky on reflection

We're living in the 21st century

Spoilt with modern technology.

 

In world war one, men so young,

So many died, hero's unsung.

A global pandemic, the Spanish Flu

It killed so many and out of the blue.

 

And then the Nazis killed many millions

The innocent lives of great civilians.

Global economic crisis, the consequence

And all we need is common-sense!

 

The Holocaust, The Korean war,

Worldwide unemployment we can’t ignore!

The famine, the elder generation know of

The years of rebuild, their labour of love.

 

We really have got no idea -

What hardship was during those years!

There has been much misery and war -

We've got a lot to answer for.

Some complain we wear a visor;

Rules are taken from our advisor.

Where we have food, shelter and heat

Hot running water in every street.

 

This might be a new outbreak

But with every new daybreak

The answer's simple, a small change

In our perspective, to us so strange.

 

Wear a mask, keep your distance -

Not a tall order to keep our existence!

But why so many with such resistance

We can beat this thing with our persistence!

 

We’ve got technology and Zoom!

It’s not like it was, the doom and gloom.

Spread the love, spread the word

So much support, we know, we've heard.

 

Mobile phones, P.C’s and even Netflix!

Instant entertainment with just a click.

We shouldn’t be moaning or feeling depressed

Hard-pressed or feeling stressed.

 

Just wear a mask, wash your hands!

Everyone in every land.

Simply follow all regulations

It will keep us safe, for generations.

 

Linda Lawrence September 2020

 

Terribly undecided!

 

Terribly undecided!

 

Thought this extra inch

Was going to be a cinch

But it's only made me flinch!

And since lockdown

It’s coloured grey and brown.

 

It's easier when it's shortened,

Sticking up, spiky and

Completely off my face!

And really don't embrace

Now it’s taking up too much space!

 

It’s started to look uncared for -

Getting harder to ignore.

It needs a bit of shifting,

Some height and stuck up lifting!

It’s started to become a chore.

 

It's going to stay short

Upkeep it to stay fair

And as a last resort

Am having that extra inch

Cut right off my hair!

 

Now there is a kink

And wanting it to shrink!

There is so much extra sweat

That's dripping from my neck

Beginning to look like a wreck.

 

I really do like

The way it used to spike -

The way it stuck out

And have no doubt

That now it looks washed out.

 

Blow dried it upside down

Rubbed in some daily glue

Teased it from the crown

Really like my old hairdo

Now that my hair is lying down.

But people say

It’s looking nice today!

Not the usual

Awry and flyaway -

With a softer length array.

 

Longer here and there -

This really is quite rare!

I don't feel so unhinged

And not so much of a cringe

By having a longer fringe.

Maybe a little bit more growing

Until it's long and flowing!

Will have to use

More moose and gel

Keep the wax in the fridge as well.

But it’s taking longer to tweak

And needing more upkeep

With new techniques’

And hair around my cheeks

In between and so unique.

 

It’s looking newfangled

And gained many tangles

In places looks strangled

And the fringe now, it dangles

Now there’s more to handle.

 

So it’s really no surprise

That I’m having a wrangle

Completely undecided

Terribly divided

While the fringe gets in my eyes!

 

 

 Copyright Linda Lawrence

22/09/2020

 

It won't be killed off!

 

It won’t be killed off!

 

I said ‘please don’t buy me a plant

I tend to overfeed or forget’

The friend who did not want to marry

She said ‘don’t worry they live off neglect’.

 

And for one of my special birthdays

A beautiful selection of cactus;

From far away land and desert

I really felt so out of practice!

 

‘But I’ve killed off plants of spider

The most stoic of plants on this land’

She said to ‘talk to it nicely -

It needs sun and water beforehand’.

 

It really was twee to start off with

Some with flowers, some not,

Made sure it was watered weekly

And kept it somewhere hot.

 

Its’ lived in three different houses -

If only it could chat!

It’s seen two children grow up

With a mixture of kittens and cats!

 

It knows of my broken marriage,

It’s seen some smiles and tears,

It’s seen success and failure -

So much over these thirty years!

 

Got to say it now looks phallic

Grown huge and had many repottings

Not easy with so many pricks;

A lengthy bit fell off that was rotting.

 

It really won’t be killed off,

It is so hardy and strong!

We’ve had to cut it down now -

It really did get much too long!

 

Thank you, my friend, for your gift

I knew it was bought in jest

And just like our friendship so long ago

I know we’ve all been blessed.

 

My friend she finally married

She’s happy and I am now too!

The house the plant now lives in

And all that we’ve been through.

 

Copyright Linda Lawrence

 

19^th September 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everywhere!

 

Everywhere!

 

We have been advised

To wear a visor

Because if a breeze

Carries a sneeze

Our hand sanitiser

Might not freeze

This viral disease.

 

And we could be bumped off

If somebody coughs!

The amount of spittle

Might be little

And a one-off

So best not scoff -

We might not shake it off.

 

It might be of interest

That we might even ingest

This rather vile bug

So let's not get smug

And end up taking a test

Fill ourselves up with drugs

And not be able to hug.

 

We can't travel too far,

Only close ones in car,

Be mindful on trains,

Wear facemasks on planes.

It's all quite bizarre

Our lives are not quite on par

We’re going to great pains.

 

The rockers can't rock

The live music has stopped.

Everything's in trouble -

We live in a bubble!

There's no popping in shops

It's all in a muddle.

And very befuddled.

 

To keep well apart

From our counterparts.

Have group meetings.

Send out sweet greetings

Right from the heart

When we take part

Behind a screen some evenings.

 

Don't like the new norm

Don't like this reform

Want what was all back

It's such a setback!

Don't want to conform

Or to be misinformed

About this attack.

 

To breathe in fresh air

Wind blow through our hair

Without nasty bacteria

That's travelled to Siberia

And everywhere!

It's changed our welfare.

Could this be chemical warfare?

 

Copyright Linda Lawrence

30^th August 2020

Dear Mum and Dad

 

Dear Mum and Dad

You suffered the impact

Of the Second World War

When you were ten.

You thought it wouldn’t happen again.

 

You lived in North London

During the second outbreak;

He tried to take over the world

He was undeterred.

 

Turned lives upside down

Made it so hard,

Left unexploded detonators

The unscrupulous traitors!

 

There was little control

You did what you could

You lived day by day

Didn’t have much say.

 

The Luftwaffe they bombed and bombed

They killed so many.

Changed life as you knew it

Although we did finally outwit.

 

And when the war was over

You rebuilt your life

You were happy, at peace

Worked hard with your elbow grease.

 

There wasn’t much money

Not much to do

But there was much bliss

That was sealed with a kiss.

 

Years have gone by and material lives,

Holidays aboard,

At least twice a year,

And cars with five gears.

 

Full-time work, children so busy

No time for nothing

Except to make income

That became the rule of thumb.

 

Another new car

Updated TV

Nothing but the best

Swim in the Caribbean Sea.

We got a little complacent

With all this and that

But what’s happened now

Has made us fall flat.

 

Stopped in our tracks

We’d turned our backs

To the cold and flu

Now there’s not a lot we can do.

 

A sneeze or a cough

Leaves us fearful and scared

Not a lot can be done

And it’s affected everyone.

 

Now there’s an outbreak

That’s taken over the world;

The jobs are drying up

There’s no world backup.

 

Now the whole world

Is beginning to care

Look out for each other

And all our welfare.

 

Is this world war three -

This invisible plague?

No bombs or shrapnel

Out there to attack you.

 

There is not much control

We’re doing what we can

Accepting new ways

Day by day.

 

We need a new normal.

And a new world is rethinking,

We can’t start the rebuilding

Until it stops killing.

 

Dear Mum and Dad

I’m glad you can’t see

And live through this time

Of worry and uncertainty.

 

 

Linda Lawrence 11^th August 2020