Cathy gets poetic Furloughed in Lockdown St Luke’s said “you’re furloughed” And I stayed at home Feeling left out and put out to pasture It felt so strange to not be there, Not be part of the solution Not be part of the helping hand service And guilt stood up in me and burned a little hole. I felt adrift and apart from St Luke’s, Apart from friends and volunteers Apart from Loyal Club members Many had lived through past challenges And could show us how to survive And pride stood up in me and Burned brightly in my soul. I got to thinking if I can’t help at St Luke’s I must assist elsewhere so out I went To help the homeless with food bags aplenty. This calmed my worries and raised my spirits as my helping hands were again of service And purpose stood up in me and Renewed my energy once more. So the lessons learnt from lockdown and a change of pace are many We step up to volunteer or do a doorstep clap We maintain rules and stay home aplenty Some take to baking, gardening and hobbies Some chat on Zoom, what’s app and phone We exercise, deliver food or sew for the NHS We all equally do our bit And hope stands up in all of us as community flourishes in our core. Cathy Carpenter - May 2020