Closed For Now: A Pandemic Experience (Natural Disasters)

my throat feels tight

the back of my head

seems nasal

(cough) . . .

2020 arrived like a gut punch.

Australia burned all through that summer, and before the smoke had cleared a new disaster swept in - Covid 19. Masks became part of daily life, borders were closed, and Victoria entered the first of seven lockdowns. Movement, work, and connection with other people were suddenly uncertain.

Frank Prem had already been journalling the wildfires. He continued through the pandemic, capturing the strange days and quiet devastations that reshaped ordinary life. One section - The Facility - tells of the fear and heartbreak of having a loved one in care during this time of crisis.

a man of asian appearance

and wearing a mask

was punched . . .

Frank Prem has been a storytelling poet for more than forty years. He spent his professional working life as a psychiatric nurse within the public mental health system in Victoria, Australia.His poetry has appeared in magazines, e-zines, and anthologies in Australia and internationally. He has performed and recorded widely in spoken word settings and has published more than thirty poetry collections.Prem is an Adjunct Research Associate with the School of Education at Charles Sturt University. He lives with his wife in the historic township of Beechworth in north-east Victoria.Website: www.frankprem.com