In a time not so long ago the world was happy and carefree.
We could travel for work and fun.

There were no restrictions on where, how or when.

Then a virus came from a far off place.

It crept out of one country and lept from one to another.
Before we knew it our lives had changed in ways we couldn’t imagine.

We heard of people dying and locked in their homes. 

It won’t happen to us, we said.
You can’t make us stay the @#$% at home.

 

In the blink of an eye, the virus came to our shores.
Rules quickly changed, borders slammed shut. 

Planes were grounded, citizens told to get home right now

The government said, now you can’t @#$%ing come home. 

 

Still we didn’t quite understand what this really meant or how our lives would change forever. 
We heard whispers from far away lands of how bad things were for them. 

That’s bull@#$t, stop lying,
It’s wrong, we said. It won’t happen here. 

They will not force us to stay the @#$% at home.

The virus came case by case. 

A boat came back after a holiday that quickly forced us all to see. 

We could no longer pretend that this wasn’t happening here.
We begged our leaders to tell us how we could make this nightmare end.

Trust us they said. This won’t last long.

Then restrictions came, masks must be worn, check in here, 

Exercise outdoors and more,
But most of all for this to pass you must stay the @#$% at home. 

 

At first it was a novelty. 

Work from home was a dream we once had begged for. 

Home learning was not in the plan for teachers, parents or students. 

Kids enjoyed the fact parents were distracted, this meant for them screen time was not limited. 

 

Soon all the bread was baked, and the novelty had worn off 

All the lines were blurred between home and work, 

We needed to see our people once more

Yet still we were told 

That we must stay the F@#k at home.

All the people said we understand we will do this for now. 

Easter came and went, even ANZAC day celebrated from our homes.
We prayed that this virus would not touch anyone we loved.

Though the lasting impacts of continued lockdowns at yet to be seen

All while hoping that we could leave our homes again one day. 

We understood it would not be forever, locked in our homes. 

One day it would all return to normal they said when we have a vaccine.
Until then we knew, we had to stay the @#$% at home.

Family and friends were forbidden to see each other or to come home again.
If you did get in, you must confine to a room they said to prevent the spread.

Unless you are rich of course because we all know the rules don’t apply to you.

This worked at times, as long as doors were kept shut.
Then before we knew Victorians forced once more, 

Much longer this time to stay the @#$% at home.

Eventually, the virus numbers dropped
restrictions lifted. Slowly we emerged, 

hurt and scarred from all the rules. 

Summer came we thought hooray maybe now is time.
No longer we would have to stay the @#$% at home.

Once more the virus proved it was more robust than before.

A flight crew came and didn’t do as told,

to “stay the @#$% at home!”

This time it was Christmas missed,

As people from Sydney this time, were once more told.
To stay the @#$% at home!

The New Year came with promise once more
that things would change for the better. 

Travel to be with loved ones was a dream we allowed ourselves to have.

 

Other countries we saw were lining up for the jab 

That we could on hope to get, if it meant,

We would no longer have to stay the @#$% at home.

 

It is not a race we were told because we were at the back,

The line was long for the vaccine it seems 

There was nothing to get back on track.

Cut the crap we begged. 

We just want to be able to live our lives once more and 

Leave our @#$%ing homes.

Again we find ourselves locked in our homes,
Unable to leave for simple things.
We are scared this will never end.

Stop $#&@ing with us, please, and tell the truth we beg.

People are frightened, losing hope this time. 

The scars from the previous year not healed just yet 

Too soon to be locked back in.

We sit, we weep.
The rules are not fair and confusing. 

The numbers must go near to zero, they say
before you can ever leave your @#$%ing home.

Some places are locked down, others must test to leave. 

Stay home they say, unless you are essential. 

What is essential we ask, just don’t browse they say
And just stay the @#$% at home.

Each day we watch to see what’s next,
in this hell that we are living.
My fingers crossed tight that they say no cases in the community.

Once more they say too many out, about and contagious.
I feel like we are living the plot line of a b grade horror movie . 

It looks like it will be Eid this time we must celebrate from our homes.

 

We understand that this virus does not discriminate and that things are quite serious. 

So too are the are the consequences of being locked in our homes and away from those we love.

People joke and laugh that this may never end.
Oh %#@!. !@%& it. You’ve got to be kidding.

This is not a joke anymore. I just need to hug my people.

 

So please I beg, just stay the @#$% at home.