Our world’s in a tailspin,
our reality has shattered,
if you’re anything like me,
you’re having a solid think about what matters.
You might be anxious, and scared,
maybe you’re angry, and in despair,
anyone else have trouble sleeping,
wondering what kind of world we’ve been keeping?
The handshake is gone, the high five too,
I don’t know where you sit, but this elbow tap business won’t do.
Our lives have been cancelled,
or at best postponed,
every festival has been called off,
and everyone’s working from home.
Whole industries are wiped,
so many jobs in hiatus,
while we sit inside,
wondering if anyone’s coming to save us.
The doctors, they’re pleading,
the mums, they’re screaming,
the curve isn’t flattening,
we aren’t doing what we’re needin’.
And the shelves are stripped bare,
no pasta, eggs, dunny paper or rice,
some people are even turning on each other
in the supermarket with knives.
This is not the country I grew up in,
not the one based on mateship,
or having a fair go,
and to be honest, I think it’s time for everyone to get a grip.
We know it’ll be over,
hopefully sooner rather than later,
and then we can get back to the things we love;
footy and gigs and seeing our mates over a pint at the pub.
Now isn’t the time for division,
for selfish behaviour,
it’s time to rally together,
and forget about the idea of a saviour.
Like time and time before,
it’ll be us that saves us,
the writers, the musos, the actors, the painters,
the comedians, the baristas, the teachers, the tradies,
the scientists, the nurses, the thinkers, the ladies,
the lovers, the dreamers, the poets, the babies.
We’ve got a fight ahead,
no matter how you see it,
for we are young and free,
except when we’re not, and now there’s a distance between you and me.
Now we’re social distancing,
and in self isolation,
two phrases I’ve never used before,
they’re the opposite of what it means to be an Australian.
Suddenly we find ourselves,
a little lost and a lot more alone,
thankfully it’s 2020,
and we’ve got these god forsaken phones.
And when it all passes,
I hope we make it through the other side a little kinder,
spreading much more love than hate,
I just wish we didn’t have to go through this as a reminder.
There’s some things we’ll all be doing,
you can count on it for sure,
like living like we mean it,
and not treating our time as an afterthought.
Right now, I miss a lot,
but I’m grateful for all I’ve got,
I just can’t wait to get back out there,
and be done with this nightmare.
Sure, it’s not the worst,
and staying in is the right thing to do,
but tell me it doesn’t kill you,
or that you haven’t felt a little blue?
Hold it close,
then remember what’s good,
all the things we’ve taken for granted,
all the places we wish we could.
It’s time to come together,
by keeping ourselves apart,
and while that’s hard to do,
if you haven’t already, please start.
Stay at home,
I beg you,
stay at home,
it’s not just the flu,
stop thinking of only yourself,
you’re not doing this for you.
Our most vulnerable need us,
and our old mates, too,
and if you don’t think they’re worth saving,
I want nothing to do with you.
When this is all over,
and we’re out on the streets,
and back at the bars and swamping the beach,
I want you to remember,
how tragic it felt,
to have life as we know it,
ripped from us at full pelt.
Do not forget,
those who have failed to lead us,
do not forgive,
those that refused to adjust.
I can’t wait for the day,
for this to be done,
so I can walk into the home I grew up in,
and hug my mum.
Stay at home,
I beg you,
stay at home,
it’s not just the flu,
stop thinking of only yourself,
you’re not doing this for you.
SANDI SIEGER. 