COVID – a pantoum

Avoid people, they said.
Wash often.
Wear a mask, they said.
Flatten the curve.

Wash often,
And stay home.
Flatten the curve,
To protect the frail.

And stay home,
Wait for the vaccine.
To protect the frail.
But people fought.

Wait for the vaccine.
And soon it was here.
But people fought.
To do as they wished.

Soon it was here,
Available to most.
To do as they wished,
They avoided the shots.

Available to most,
Infections came down.
They avoided the shots,
And a new surge hit.

Infections came down,
So we loosened controls.
A new surge hit.
But we were tired.

So we loosened controls,
And things got worse,
But we were tired,
The resisters got sick.

And things got worse.
Wear a mask, they said.
The resisters got sick,
So we avoid people.