Parting Clouds
It’s been a year-long winter, this period of isolation for many, with seasons blending as one while the world’s population held its collective breath waiting for the passing of the coronavirus. But shelter, by definition, is confining, and cabin fever soon set in. Guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease were ignored, with many gathering, crowded and unmasked.
Those in the know gained their pleasure from the outdoors while maintaining social distancing, fearful, still, that those less wise, the many they encountered as they shopped for necessities, those who were unmasked while ignoring distancing, would bring them into contact with the scourge that had taken millions of lives around the world.
But at last vaccines have been developed, and infection rates are falling as more people obtain them. The storm has not completely passed, but there is hope that this long winter is finally over.
parting clouds
sunlight on pink and white
cherry blossoms
This is my response to Haibun Monday: Cherry Blossoms,
the prompt from Frank Tassone at dVerse ~ Poets Pub.
rivrvlogr 
Our previously wise governor has caved in to the pressure of the republican controlled congress who has hamstrung every move she’s been making until she caved. Restaurants are open and MI is first in the nation — woo hoo! — for new covid cases. I don’t feel quite out of woods yet but I do love your haibun.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Lisa.
I’ve read that Covid numbers are up-ticking again. fingers crossed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great piece Ken, and the haiku is spot on!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rob!
LikeLike
A wise write, Ken. Here in my city we have welcomed throngs for the NCAA basketball final competition, many of them crowding and without masks. We hope against hope there will be no spike of what had been promising falling numbers. Our restrictions are lessened, but not finished. I get my first shot on 2 days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good summation of where we’ve been … and love the blossoms image/metaphor.
Got m6 2nd vaccine Saturday – miserable day Sunday – but today I’ve been working in the yard, etc. So all in all, an easy “fix”. What we can all wonder is how soon, how frequently will we need boosters … and if that seemingly intelligent person we’re conversing with has had any vaccines! (I do not expect to ever get back to pre-COVID comfort in crowds, alas. Almost wish vaccines included a V tattooed mid forehead … tho of course some would go get a fake tattoo rather than the real vaccine…)
LikeLike
Even here, where we haven’t had a hard winter in a while, this winter has seemed a year long, Ken. Some of us stayed indoors, got cabin fever and survived. Sadly, other people couldn’t cope, broke the rules and either got or helped to spread the virus. Yesterday in the UK, the lockdown was lifted a little, and the mood has changed, not that I’ve been out, not until 1st April, but TV and radio reports have all been upbeat, and my husband got his longed-for redundancy, which means we get to spend more time together from 1st July onwards. Your haiku expressed the joy perfectly.
LikeLike
Excellent take – yes, the clouds are parting, and like Spring, hope is in the air.
LikeLike
I am eternally grateful that we in Australia have seen very little with less than 1000 deaths. But we did have some serious lockdowns which almost all people followed carefully.
LikeLike
It’s a bittersweet spring–the vaccines give hope, but too many are still being stubbornly ignorant which means more preventable deaths. Even New York is opening way too fast, and the infection rate shows it. (K)
LikeLike
A sober reflection on the year of all of our discontent. The complement of the haiku with the prose nails it1 Bravo, Ken!
LikeLike
I hope this long winter is coming to an end as well: it has been tortuous!
LikeLike
I hope too… and at least the vaccine has proven effective in bringing down the deaths… but still we lack vaccines… they say maybe in late May
LikeLike