The Covid Years

CONTENTS KEY TO CONTRIBUTORS AGD Adrianna Gomez Dangremond AH Anthony Hirst AR Alice Rainey AW Albie Waddell BJ Brian Jagger CLM Cecilia Loulakaki-Moore DJ Di Jagger EE Elizabeth Ellis FH Frances Haste FM Faysal Mikdadi IFR Isabel Field Reid ILM Irene Loulakaki-Moore IW Ian Whitwham JN Julian Nangle JP Jim Potts LF Lily Flintoff MA Mark Allen MSP Maria Strani-Potts NMP Nina-Maria Potts OW Otis Waddell PH Polly Haste SB Suzie Black SE Sarah Ekdawi SFR Sue Field Reid SW Susan Walpole WL Wilf Lunn WM William Merrett Titles of images are in SMALL CAPITALS; where they are also in quotation marks, they are not titles as such, but words present within the image. Items marked with an asterisk in the period March 15th to May 20th, 2020 (and one item now placed later), were first published in Viral Verse: pandemic poems and images (June 2020). A long dash () in the sequence of dates indicates either that the item is undated or that its date is not part of the chronological sequence. Where the ages of under-eighteens are given, here and on the pages where their contributions appear, they are their ages at the time of writing or creating. MASS PYSCHOSIS COVID KILLS! (Photo, AH) front cover Editors Introduction xiiixiv A PROLOGUE FROM THE DISTANT PAST, 16661694 Haiku of isolation and sorrow (Matsuo Bash) 14 A PROLOGUE FROM THE RECENT PAST, 2016 In memory of Thomas (MA) 58 A COMPOSITE JOURNAL IN POETRY, PROSE AND PICTURES 2020 SOCIAL DISTANCING (Painting, detail, SFR)* 10 March 15th. Report from Mondaino (SB) 11 SOCIAL DISTANCING (Painting, full image, SFR)* 11 March 22nd. London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly on the Covid-19 Express (AH)* 1213 March 23rd. The Great Field, Poundbury (JP)* 14 March 23rd. COVID-19 . . . THE GREAT FIELD (Photo, MSP)* 15 March 24th. In brief (AH)* 16 March 25th. Donalds beautiful timeline (AH)* 16 March 26th. Disjunction (AH)* 17 March 26th. Lockdown Snapshot (AR) 17 March 26th. Lockdown UK-style Week 1 (AH)* 18 March 28th. Covidity and other terms of reference (AH)* 19 March 31st. Number games or Well done, Mr President (AH)* 2021 DEFENSE ABSOLUE . . . DANGER DE MORT (Photo, AH) 21 Lifes a game (AH) 21 March 31st. The other Big C (JP) 22 April 7th. Age-at-death unknown (AH)* 23 April 7th. But is it war? (AH)* 24 April 9th. Let us pray or preferably not (AH)* 24 April 10th. Silent Springs (AH)* 25 SILENT SPRING BY RACHEL CARSON (Book cover)* 25 April 10th. Panic Rap (IW) 2627 April 12th. Wandering Widsiths Original Corona Virus Homesick Blues (JP)* 28 WIDSI MAOLADE (Text image)* 28 April 13th. Fourth week (SW)* 29 April 14th. Empty streets (AH)* 30 April 15th. ! If the Cancer doesnt get you the Corona Virus will ! (IW) 31 April 15th. 999 call (JP)* 32 PINK CHERRY BLOSSOM (Photo, IFR)* 32 April 16th. Discharged! (JP) 33 April 17th. A Viral Vision (CLM, age 15) 3435 (2020) April 17th. Mortality Support Unit Temporary mortuary approved for Dorchester (JP)* 36 THE OLD RADIO STATION (Photos, JP)* 37 April 18th. A respectful distance (AH)* 38 HELP US KEEP HACKNEY PARKS OPEN (Photo, AH)* 38 April 19th. SOCIALLY-DISTANCED BIRTHDAY QUIZ (Photo, IFR)* 39 April 19th20th. in a time of corona virus (JN)* 40 April 20th. Apart (FM)* 41 April 21st. Politically speaking (AH)* 42 NOW IN THE THICK OF IT (Photo, AH) 43 April 23rd. Clap for our heroes (EE)* 4445 NHS THANK GOD FOR IMMIGRANTS (Photo, AH; poster, Jeremy Deller) 45 April 28th. Anagram lures OK, Orbis? or Taking the P.M. to pieces (AH)* 4647 April 29th. Another Slough (BJ)* 4849 May 2nd. A triumph for the minister on May Day (AH)* 5052 May 3rd. CT scanners (JP)* 53 May 3rd. May 2020 (SW) 54 May 4th. Inaction and reaction are unequal and apposite (AH)* 55 May 4th. ISOLATED (Painting,