Normal / On / Re – Poem II during a time of COVID-19

Up again at 4am
My new normal

Normal?
It has always been one of those words that make me question or cringe
It's not a lovely word like pillow, soup, kind
Friend

Normal
I look at my couch, my dogs, my kitchen, my view, my cupboards, my books, my family
Normal
So far

TV. On. Computer. On. Instagram. On. Twitter. On.
Brain. On. Heart. On. 
Not so normal
Not so normal at all

I keep thinking. Asking.  “Why is this all so surprising”? 
Do you?

I am not into blame and shame
But I am into
Leadership, responsibility, accountability 
It’s a big deal to have NOT been better prepared 
In all the big and obvious ways
And in all the invisible and hidden ways
A very big deal

This is about some people in particular
Those with big titles, big salaries, big platforms, big influence, big teams
But most of us
as well

It’s a big deal to witness and unpack and understand what all of this exposes.
It will also be a big deal to respond
rethink, regroup, rebuild, reconnect
now
and especially
When the droplets settle and disappear