They said

They said stay inside, it will keep you safe
They said go home, assuming we had one
They said get online, it will be the same
They said stay inside, but some were not safe

They said work online, but our eyes grew drowsy
from companies capitalizing on us inside.
They said support nurses, and we tried
overwhelmed we watched as they cried

They said keep track of the news,
as death tolls kept on rising. Then
they said do not give into despair,
But it was everywhere.
Our despair made people richer

We were stuck.
Despising the news we heard
Keeping us frozen in fear

They said do your part to help others,
But who was helping us?

They forced us inside where the world is smaller
Voices quieted as we smothered within

They said we were doing so well –
we weren’t.
They said keep in touch with loved ones
but we weren’t allowed to touch them
They suggested we meditate, do yoga, and read

They suggested we stay calm, but don’t smoke weed
They suggested and suggested and suggested some more
unhelpful suggestions made trying a chore

Some hope came from a silver needle,
Yet life was still not as it was.
Boundaries eroded are slow to rebuild
Cheap shortcuts now keystones for how we live

Now they say go outside, it’s good for you
Now they say get offline, it’s making you anxious
Now they say leave the house, still assuming
Now they say go outside, but

so many of us are still stuck
Inside