"Know That We Are Connected In Ways That Are Terrifying And Beautiful."
A poem by Lynn Ungar offers gentle, good advice as we say goodbye to 2020, the annus horribilis.
Illustration: Jeanne Martin Creative
In our 50th — and final — issue of the year, we leave you with Lynn Ungar's poem, "Pandemic," which urges us to center ourselves, reach out, and promise this world our love. We can't think of a better way to exit 2020, and to wish all our readers a safe and peacful new year. See you in 2021.
PANDEMIC
By Lynn Ungar
What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.
And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.
Promise this world your love–
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.
To read more of Lynn's poetry, or to purchase her books, visit lynnungar.com.
