It will not have escaped you all that my blogs direct you to my six books of POEMS BY AN OLD CODGER, but the photograph of the six books front covers also has a seventh book cover.
There are twenty-two poems in the set of six books which are all about COVID-19 and LOCKDOWN, and when it was announced that Sunday 9 March 2025 was to be NATIONAL COVID-19 DAY OF REFLECTION, I gathered the poems together into one unique book – LIVING UNDER COVID-19 AND LOCKDOWN 2020 TO 2022.
A world-wide pandemic that has caused great anxiety and stress, sorrow and loss. It has been an unprecedented challenge for scientists, medical staff, nurses, carers, and public servants, to keep us all safe to the best of their ability and resources. This book of poems is offered as an acknowledgment of their dedication to serve throughout the lockdown, and for me the opportunity to record my grateful thanks to them all.
As the virus circulated far and wide, this old codger and his wife endeavoured to comply with the legal instructions and guidance given. Writing these poems was an attempt, at the time, to describe life and living through the pandemic and lockdown. The challenge hasn’t been easy and, sadly, too many succumbed to the virus. The book ends with a summary of the UK casualties from this pandemic so far. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who mourn.
I use the term ‘unique’ for this publication, although every author will consider his or her book unique and, in truth, they are. This one is unusually unique!
BOOK SEVEN contains not only my poems, but interspersed are comments made by some of our World Leaders and other significant experts relating to this new virus, which you may find interesting – even revealing. Also, I have added a summary of Government actions taken each year.
The book is a record of an era that hasn’t gone away. A contribution to remind us of a very difficult time for all ranks of our health services, and our grateful thanks for their dedication to a challenging task.
I have chosen one of my poems which I believe offers a snapshot of one of the early days of action to fight the virus.
OUR COVID-19 JAB
The telephone rang, “Hello” I said pensively,
Was this another caller trying to scam me?
Computer-generated calls, bane of my life,
“Calling to arrange jabs for you and your wife”.
At last, our names have now been reached,
The order of jabbing has not been breached,
“Tomorrow, five past two, at your surgery”,
I hope the process is not purgatory.
A short queue outside the block,
The cold air may nullify any post-jab shock,
As several nurses were wielding their syringe,
For faint-hearted old codgers some may cringe.
The needle glinted in the cold afternoon sun
But I was seated and not ready to run.
An armful of AstraZeneca for my future safeguard
And my personal COVID-19 record card.
We waited our post-op time nearby,
Patiently we sat, my wife and I,
Just the same as far as we could see,
So homeward bound for a cup of tea.
When my wife and I had checked in,
A lady escort took us under her wing.
Asked if she had just come back from lunch,
“No time. Just grabbed a bite!”. What a bunch
Of selfless angels serving across our countryside,
They should all hold their heads up high with pride.
This glorious army of men and women
At the sharp end, not pushing a pen.
Quietly, they tend and care for us,
Dealing with each challenge without a fuss.
They are not angels in the sky,
They walk and run, they do not fly,
They care, they nurse, sometimes they sigh,
You’ll never know them as you walk by.
Copyright@2025 Neil Davies
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I hope you have enjoyed this Blog and my poem.
If so, tell your friends or better still, buy my books.
All proceeds in aid of my charity. **
I have more to tell and more poems for my blogs, so please keep watching.
Stay Safe,
Neil.