The Stages of Quarantine

by Osmond Jian

July 7th, 2020

I was thinking about the perception of time during the COVID-19 experience, and how it felt so fast and so slow at the same time. I wrote a poem to try and illustrate these feelings, and hopefully they are relatable.

Time slows down

When you’re isolated from the crowd

Running out of things to do

Engage with new hobbies

But only half-heartedly

To try and remember who you are

Time speeds up

When you’re trying to enjoy this good luck

Procrastinating without a care

Escape to the internet

Overindulging on Netflix

The calendar flew by

It’s not fair!

Time is too loud

Can’t be distracted by the sound

Too much work to do

due too soon

The emphasis on self-care

Has come with a hefty fare

Wondering how others do it all