A poem in response by Ray Stearn
‘Alone
Isolated
All my fears bubble up
An enormous Irish Stew on the stove of anxiety
The holly bush pops into my mind like a potato surfacing through the broth
Will its roots grow through the foundations?
Then the wind increases, the potato holly dives
Slates take its place, quorn pieces in this veggie stew
Will they still be on the roof come morning
Another bubble from the stove
Carrots surface as the front door in my mind
Is it rotten or can I repaint it?
Bubble bubble stew and trouble
Is that new chair showing signs of woodworm
Say the turnips in my mind stew
Oh
There’s a virus to worry me too
Corona covid,
So good they named it twice
Take my advice
Don’t think twice
Or hoard rice
Be nice
Be very very nice
Or your swede I will dice
Irish Stew in the name of the law’
Ray Stearn is an enthusiastic ‘Allotmenteer’ and Story-Teller at Can O' Worms Storytelling. He is also Chair of Touchstones Creative Writing Group. Ray is a former Librarian at Rochdale Library Service.