[From March, 2020] I took a recent neighborhood walk, and the surroundings were definitely not the norm. Quiet streets and hardly anyone outside on a gloomy, spring afternoon. I crossed a busy road, without the usual volume of traffic. The entire experience brought many thoughts to mind, some of which found their way into this poem.
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Morning rush traffic, missing in action
Downtown streets resemble empty ghost towns
All of this, most unusual for many
Life experiencing major breakdowns
Atmosphere of dark, winter gloom arrives
Quiet neighborhood lanes, filled with stillness
Sheltered-in-place covers the entire land
Fear and panic, with visions of illness
Households, overflowing with family
Quite unique for a midweek afternoon
Only essential employees at work
Life differs from a “Charlie Brown” cartoon
Spring’s portraits and sounds, arriving on schedule
Trees bud out, grass turning green, robins sing
God’s creation reminds us, He is near
His steadfast, faithful hope shall always ring
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From Lamentations 3:21-23: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
Big Sky Buckeye 
Yes, He is always near! What a comfort.
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Amen!. I wrote this poem at the beginning of Covid’s impact upon our life here in the U.S. The verses kept moving forward with the intention of witnessing God at their conclusion.
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I could tell this was influenced by COVID-19 and the way it changed our lives. But, it is so reassuring to know, “God’s creation reminds us, He is near/ His steadfast, faithful hope shall always ring.” I hear and feel that hope ringing today – even in the midst of chaos.
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Jan, your feedback is always a blessing. As I was rereading this poem, my mind rewound time back to those early weeks of the pandemic. Traffic on a busy road near my home was so scarce that I could cross easily, even during rush.
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