A Poem for Charlie. “It all changed for the better”. iP

A poem for Charlie

(ip) It All Changed for the Better.   

By   
        MarciaMarcia                  
 
While we all looked out our windows
as the seasons passed us by
we wished that we could come and go,
instead of staying  inside

the Critters in our gardens
and high up in the trees
came out to play 
and found that we were nowhere to be seen
 
not in our cars 
or in our yards
not biking or hiking or strolling in the streets
these Critters thought it curious
“How quiet all this seems”
very different than the normal rush 
of day to dusk had been”

Even Mama Gray Rabbit 
ventured steps beyond the hedge
eyeing Mr Deegan’s sunflower’s patch in the bay 
at the grassy edge
she thought long and watched long 
Looking high and looking low
“I must make sure my Bunnies three
are safe to play when running free
Then she was done
she called 
“Come my little Rabbits
Three
no need to run and hide
It’s time to hop the street with me
to Mr Deegan’s Sunflower’s Patch
on the other side“ 
 
Hand in hand Gray Rabbit One and Two jumped across
in happy play 
They were so excited 
To be where they had not been, in the garden bay

Gray Rabbit Three was more cautious than the rest  
Sitting up and looking out he stepped the street more slowly 
“Come on and taste the foliage yummies all around” the others called. Don’t be lonely only"
and so he looked and with one leap he landed on the grassy ground. 
he sniffed and snuffled 
and rolled all the rest of the day
in Mr Deegan”s garden bay.
    
Now, Papa Brown Squirrel 
saw it all
atop his tree branch nest 
then climbing down 
he chirped “Hello”
and waved his tail in jest
He chattered and he squawked   and called
his Eleven Squirrels Brown
Who were still at rest in their nest 
“ it’s late already little ones, wake up and come on down”
  
One by one each ventured past 
the sunlit branchy tree leaves
as their little feet held fast
 Squirrel One heard 
Rabbits laugh and play 
and saw them munch on veggie leaves 
in the garden bay 
“An unusual site to see” he said to Squirrel Two
and Three 
“Where are all the people” 
she asked Squirrel Four 
Then turned to 
Squirrel Five who said
“They're afraid to come out like before. 
Then Squirrel Six announced
 “I think you will find
They’re afraid to go walking
with their own kind” 
  
Papa Brown Squirrel tried to explain
“A tiny People-Virus, Covid, has spread the whole world wide
It makes them sniffly-sleepy-tired 
So they have to stay in side 
“All of them must stay in bed? 
Asked Squirrel six to Seven and Eight
“And hide” they answered. 
“Yes” Papa Brown Squirrel replied 
“Till Covid Virus and it’s Friends decide 
to fly away and end”
Squirrel Nine asked  
“ But why” 

 Squirrel Ten cried
“It’s a people pandemic, across the world, and all can’t play in their garden bays 
and many sniffly-sleepy-ones
have had to go to bed for days
  Squirrel Eleven yawned playing with his tail
listening 
He said “I like the quiet outside 
no trucks and cars to run and hide 
and lots of other Critters now
from forests near and wide 
they’ve come to see and hear 
the calm and quiet outside”
 Baby raccoons  and little deer, wander through the garden greens“ said Squirrel Eleven again 
“It’s just so cool, because of now
It’s really safe for all of us
to be outside and seen”  
 
Papa Brown Squirrel spoke softly, while Mama Gray Rabbit listened too
 
“People look through windows, now
but “we must watch the skies”because
birds of prey, black birds and hawks leave their nests and fly,
swooping low to see
they watch from very near
and sit on garden gates
while people stay inside. 
as Critters we must keep aware 
as we scamper and play free
and take care of each other
Please, some things will always be”
 
   The little deer from forests
were seen in all the yards
they too never saw people in their cars
 they romped in the streets
nibbling grasses round the trees
and frolicked in the driveways 
prancing merrily with their feet”
as chipmunks scampered here and there and possums skunks and frogs appeared. A happy sight indeed was seen by people from their window’s screens. 
 
A year of seasons came and passed like this. 
the critters from the forests, trees and garden bays 
felt safe to know 
they could stay outside all day
till evening’s lights began to glow. Then back to nests they’d go 
 
 Then, 
one day, 
at last
the People looking out windows 
decided not to stay inside
their sniffly-sleepy-tired
finally began to subside
they left their beds and opened windows and doors 
and came outside to play
“ They look different” chirped the Squirrels Brown
“In a funny sort of way” chuckled the Gray Rabbits
“They are Wearing masks
to not catch the Virus again
or give It away”
explained Mamma Gray Rabbit
and Papa Brown Squirrel
 
   So, life that was before the Virus
changed all for the better
the Critters and the People now sat in front yards together 
Watching each other 
happy at play
They strolled down the streets
They danced in their yards
They went biking and hiking
and sat in the sunshine 
watching Mr Deegan’s Sunflowers climb 
They even shared munching
the carrots and veggies from the bay  vines 

They all stayed together 
listening to the quiet calm
Of the grasses and the trees
as the seasons now went on. 
                 
                 MarciaMarcia
                 (IP  normal