A fist bump
can never take the place
of an embrace,
and though smiles
can reach into our eyes,
their full measure
cannot be seen
behind an outlaw's bandanna.
Though social distancing
and face masks
are now a fixture
in everyday life,
I want to howl
at the loneliness
thriving inside me.
They say it's only
a matter of time,
that soon we'll be
able to live
and love
and laugh
in the ways we
all took for granted.
I hope they are right.
As hard as it is,
we must steel our resolve
and stay the course
if we are to come through
this trial of our humanity.
And when it's all over,
let us never again
take the blessings
of human contact
for granted.

~Elise Skidmore ©2020

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