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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Some days, when the walls are closing in, and I've not laid eyes on another human being for over a week other than my spouse and the few silent, masked souls wandering the aisles on a Tuesday morning at Walmart, I feel that this pandemic--already entering its sixth month--is never going to end. I feel trapped. Trapped in a situation over which I have no control. How long must I remain sequestered? When will I be able to safely visit and wrap my arms around my elderly mother, my sons and my grandchildren? When can I venture anywhere without the vital mask and hand sanitizer? How many more will die and/or suffer the ravages of COVID-19 before an effective vaccine becomes available? How can this possibly be happening in the 21st century? Trapped. Trapped in a nightmare. Unable to escape. Unable to move forward. Time marches on, and yet, it stands still. Remember bibliophile Henry Bemis in the "Time Enough at Last" episode of Twilight Zone? Henry finally gets his wish to be able to read whenever and whatever he wants; however, he accidentally breaks his glasses, so his plans and dreams are shattered. He's all alone with nothing enjoyable to occupy his time. At some point during this pandemic, each of us, unfortunately, can relate to poor Henry Bemis. Time was on our side, but COVID-19 reared its ugly head to impede our hopes and ambitions.
August 4, 2020
Text & Image
How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
I have maintained a heavy zoom contact load in the past week. The connections include several groups that have extended far back in time, pre-covid. I have not bern travelling with my husband anywhere - except one libg day trip to select burial plots in Massachusetts. We love the two plots we selected - and will both be cremated. The lagoon we overlook is near the entrance of the Jewish memorial park and nearby many of my husband's relatives are buried - including his only sibling, a younger sister who died in an accident ehen she was only twenty-one. Back at home, our “Departures” magazine arrived so I decided to create a dream world. Each photograph is from just one magazine: Petra in Jirdan, a Greek island sanctuary, ice bergs in the Antarctic, doorway in the midwest, a throne/ladder art piece, window to nowhere, row biat, tea service, wooden row boat - yearning woman in billowing outfit that is sunlit from a ling side window and the act of collaging brought peace. I shared my collage with zoom folks and members if Write Out during the national write out day, i read a poem on zoom that I wrote - first of my poems read aloud on zoom! I ince Jane Goidhall ifcshe cared to read a piem about her husband in a book she had written. She was lecturing locally and my artwork was on the walls as she read her poem. It was a touching poem as she described how her imagination helps her cope. She looked up after completing the last line and smiled, “No one has ever asked me to read my poem aloud before.” I smiled back in her direction and felt a connection - one that informed me that now in this pandemic, in this tome of great losses of friends who recently died, I would find comfort by sharing my words and showing my collage - so here it is for you to see. My friend who died last March showed a collage in last winter’s art exhibition I curated. I decided to try a collage myself. No civid touches my images, the collage is a safe place where I may travel to anytime!
October 23, 2020