A Corsair Named COVID

By Patricia Hernon

There was a man

Who wrote stories -

Every day his wife

Of thirty years

Would come into his study

And natter

About mundane matters

Trying -

To get his attention

A little recognition

Some regard -

But he would ignore

Her attempts

At closeness

And intimacy

One morning

He Yelled

"Woman

You are smothering me

Give me some space."

That same day

A furtive and stealthy thief

Invisible . . . Undetectable . . . veiled

Came to visit

Today he longs for her touch

Reaches out -

Into empty Space