By Helena Del Pino
We make do and mend,
Keeping our friendships alive
On a tiled screen
With tiny portraits
Of familiarity and longing.
Meeting in rebellion
Of a pandemic
That rips at the fabric of our lives.
Friends, this is not the time
For invisible mending,
Pretending nothing has frayed.
Get out instead your golden thread
And let us stitch together a quilt
With precious and visible suturing
Joining together the mosaic tiles
Of remote communication.
Let us make a cover of affection,
A comforting reassurance that
Friendship endures
And love is never-ending.
Helena Del Pino: This poem was written after transferring my church services and yoga teaching onto Zoom. It was written as an encouragement that human connection remains even through unfamiliar technologies if we have the intention to maintain the bonds.
Helena Del Pino
I am a priest, poet and creative yoga practitioner. During lockdown I wrote a daily poem to help process the traumatic changes to our feelings of safety and human connection.
Such a beautiful way to describe such heart wrenching pain. Thankyou for sharing it.