Before I committed any words to a page, I was thinking of words to write.

Ironically I could not draw on anything — not one thing.

Maybe because I knew nothing. I was out of ideas. I didn’t know how to get the words to the page or what words to go on the page. I have rarely been in this position.

The reason was the subject — COVID-19.

I barely know anything about it. What I know is what I gather from the so-called experts, in print, TV, radio and online. Not much to choose from since those experts don’t know that much about the virus either.

So I wanted to write a poem or maybe some song lyrics to express and reflect on how I am feeling and reacting to living during these tumultuous times.

So I began writing. It was just writing. It could have been a free write or prewrite or maybe even a brainstorm. I wasn’t sure because there were only handwritten words on the page with no punctuation marks. It could have been scribbles for all I’d known because I made little sense of the words.

First, I came up with three words — living under lockdown.

I put down my pen and didn’t come back to the paper for two days.

Then, I came back to the paper and my words started somewhat flowing and I began to write them down.

Actually it felt good to write because writing for me is very cathartic. And as the words are written on the page, I can feel less tension in my shoulders and I begin to smile.

I smile because I am getting out my emotions. It happens that way for me.

For people who know me, they may think I am not, but I am very sensitive.

So when writing, know that I have observed everything around me, and finally I put to words.

That’s how I feel about the virus. What I wrote down are not some happy words, but rather gritty. I don’t think there is any other way to reflect on COVID-19.

So to make some sense of it for me, I had to write down some words to a poem or lyrics to a song, I don’t know which yet because I have not decided. I guess when I think I’m finished writing them, I’ll know. If they are for a poem, I may have to do revising. If they are for a song, I have to figure out a key in which they can be sung. Bad news for me is that I am a terrible singer. Maybe if I worked on my singing — no still wouldn’t sound good I’m too pitch. I could find a singer and record him or her. I have a melody, I think, but that’s all.

So here are my words.

Nothing fancy.

No set meter.

No set rhyme scheme.

Just words.

Just a reflection.

VERSE

Nobody walking the streets

Not allowed to go there

Looking for a chance to meet

The greasy spoons are bare

CHORUS

That’s what it’s like

Living under lockdown

That’s what the world

Gives us under lockdown

VERSE

Everybody glued to the news

With little cash to spend

Shut in, we’ve got the blues

There’s no give, no bend

CHORUS

That’s what it’s like

Living under lockdown

That’s what the world

Gives us under lockdown

VERSE

Look at the sky

Pushed in a real daze

Still looking at the sky

Clouds in an angry haze

CHORUS

That’s what it’s like

Living under lockdown

That’s what the world

Gives us under lockdown

See IDEAS,

Page D6

VERSE

Where do we begin

Looking for hope

When isolation digs in

How will we cope

CHORUS

That’s what it’s like

Living under lockdown

That’s what the world

Gives us under lockdown

There still is a lot of tweaking to do, but this is my first draft.

If you want to express your thoughts, try writing them down. You may find that writing alleviates some stress.