Strange days are these, and everywhere I turn, there is advice for writers. How to make the best of all this spare time during social isolation. How to be more productive. How to finish that WIP. And I fell into all of it — putting pressure on myself to produce, to create, though nothing of worth was emerging.

I was riddled with guilt that I wasn’t writing — until I copped on!

So I stopped trying. Left it alone. Shut the laptop and stacked the notebooks. I read more books, practiced my amateur knitting, stared out the window, did some housework (only the essential stuff!) and used the time to let the mind wander. To let new thoughts percolate. To be inspired.

And this happened: Not Writing. A Poem (Of Sorts) published by Pendemic, a wonderful site, created to publish new writing in response to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Check it out for some insightful writing and writers.

Not Writing

Of disquiet

The pang that lingers as reality bites

Mornings open to inspection

What next?

Of the belly ache. Someone forgotten

The distance. Forced and unnatural

Of the worry

The vulnerable

The children not cherished

Of fragile safety nets undone

And inevitable loss

Of love for kin held close

And the hollow of their absence

Of soul friends

The warmth of their knowing

Of energy sent and received

Of being blessed

Of hitting the reset button

For the chance to begin again.

The thing is, we all have the belly aches, the worries that churn. We are all filled with self doubt that our art doesn’t make a damn bit of difference to a world in turmoil. A world closing in to protect itself. To protect us. But, we’re a resilient bunch, us humans. We’ll get through this. We will thrive and we will reset.

And the creativity will flow.

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Caroline E Farrell is a writer and filmmaker. She is the author of the novel, LADY BETH and the Writer/Director of the short film FRAMED. She is also the writer of  the short films IN RIBBONS and ADAM.