A Poem dedicated to My Teachers

By Sonakshi Seetohul

I want you to know
That I am grateful for your hard work
In helping me as I grow

For your constant understanding and for
Always being there when I need help and support
You guide my thoughts, share my achievements
And advise on my faults
You bring out the best in me
With each lesson you teach
I am full of motivation and curiosity
You make a difference in the life of each child
Those who are quiet and those who are wild
The wish to learn is priceless
It’s a gift you gave to me
For you do more than teaching
This much is plain to see

The dawn of each poet, each philosopher and king
Begins with their teachers and the wisdom they bring.

 * * *

As the world comes to a halt

There is finally time now for everyone
 to ‘stand and stare’ as WH Davies put it just over a century ago,
‘What is this life if, full of care
We have no time to stand and stare
No time to see the woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass….

Life seemed busy with people working long hours

The economy in full swing

Children used to daily routines at home and school

Most people were planning their next holiday

As summer is the time to enjoy the weather

But the whole world came to a standstill

As Covid-19 appears from nowhere

And spreads all around the world

There is panic buying

There is sickness

There is death

Covid-19 stopped the world in its tracks

Leaving people unable to do their regular tasks

We are told to wash our hands

Use face masks

Practise social distancing

Streets are deserted

No longer meeting family and friends

Unable to do much except stand and stare from balconies and windows

As this is the only option to have a glimpse of the outside world

Parks and playgrounds near but deserted

As scientists identify the dangers of sharing. There is nowhere to go

There is no one to see

Travellers stranded in different countries around the world

Some on holiday, some away on business, some gone to work

Away from their family and friends

They are scared

Yearning to return to their homeland

But this temporary slowdown of human activity has had a profound impact on many species

With fewer people in urban environments,

Much less traffic on the roads and noise pollution at its lowest

Some species are making the most of their time

Wild animals are turning up in places they have not been seen in decades

Covid 19 is a virus impossible to see with naked eyes

But it seems that it is nature’s weapon in the fight against humanity

With hidden benefits, the lockdown has made the world realise that nature has so much to offer

As we look at the shapes of the cloud

 we see pigeons walking in a group like family,

We can hear sweet birdsongs early in the morning

And notice how trees wave to us in the gentle breeze

Many of us are getting inspired by the beauty of Nature;

Come walk with me into the forest’s blessed abode

To see the wondrous beauty the Earth has bestowed upon us

We shall bask in the surreal splendour that surrounds us

And listen to nature orchestrating the forest’s magnum opus.


* Published in print edition on 7 August 2020

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