Sending off Summer

It’s birdwatching day at the park
But lo and behold! It was unusually packed
For family barbecue, photo shoot, picnic,
Church choir practice, all sorts of music…
And the usual walking, running, biking,
Skateboarding, paddleboarding, fishing…
(And smoking and vaping, too? Oh, no!)
The birds were silent, nowhere to be found,
Hiding from the new sights and sounds,
So I did people watching instead
Before sending summer to rest.

What a sight it was,
A picture of a “melting park”
Of children and their mothers in hijab
Of tiny-limbed walkers in conical hats
Of some believers and their heavenly hymns
Of topless grandpa and his hard rock music
Of curry, Jollibee and Tim Horton worshippers
Of local seniors and foreign caregivers
Of lovers, young and bold
Of lovers, old but never cold
Of friends, warmly dressed or half-naked
Of singles, loners and empty nesters
Of the homeless on the warm benches,
Glad to make new acquaintances,
Watching the Elbow River silently flow
Watching the sun slowly go down below…

It was like today we had gathered
To send off our beloved summer
That somehow made us forget
The lingering COVID19 nightmare.
MLJ/20/09/2020/InTheYearOfCOVID19