When this is over
And Covid is past,
I’m stopping the hand-gel but
Keeping my mask.

I never wanted
To wear the thing,
With its badly-sized fabric
And wrong-length string.

But like a good citizen
I did what they asked:
Shut mouth and nose
Inside a mask.

And now I’m accustomed
To hiding my face,
Lonely but safe
In my personal space.

I wasn’t bad-looking,
Or so I assumed—
But I look like a zombie
In meetings on Zoom.

So I have to admit
I prefer it this way.
I need my mask now.
It’s here to stay.

Fiona M Jones writes very short things. Her published work can be seen through @FiiJ20 on Facebook and Twitter.