It can be hard to find a connection with another person; much less during a global pandemic. But here I am, getting to know someone and sharing that journey out loud which isn't easy because so much can go wrong in a relationship and there is so much that neither of us know about each other yet.
In light of all of that, below is a poem I wrote that talks about our connection in a different way. I hope you enjoy it as much as I relish in the live, in person journey we are on. (And shout out to the special man who wore socks and doesn't mind me sharing a little of our story.)
New Love: Covid 19 Edition (Listen to the audio version here)
Jennifer N. Shannon
We kick our feet up
and in between
and around
forgetting that my pedicure was
done by my own hands a few days ago
ignoring the chipped polish
the sloppiness of the strokes
you don’t mind
this is life now
it’s just us
just me you
the way we had begun
sifted through the maze online
talked
laughed
high schoolers giggling
as the state shifts into stage 2
we get take out
eat inside
listen to records
briefly forget that only miles away
there are protests
people are mourning
people are tired
masks don’t protect everyone
they do just enough to cover
the nose mouth
they are a reminder
to reach for something
because what else do we have to hold on to
besides each other
in the house
the yard
finding creative ways
tender ways
to explore our love
finding courage in it all
holding hands to keep us safe
kissing
hoping.
writerjns
One more thing, today is Juneteenth. If you need a lesson about why this day is important, click here to watch a 1-min video.