Lockdown by Ankur Jyoti Saikia

The All-speaking and selectively-hearing Sire

held up his decree. I was locked, you were locked,

he/she/they was/were locked. Alone/ in pairs/ in bunches

were locked. The 'do'er' was locked, the 'deed' was locked.

Shops locked, Hotels locked; Supplies locked, Food locked.

Hope locked, Dreams locked. Present locked, Presents locked.

The wife with her abusive husband, locked. The boy

with his toxic family, locked. The émigré son locked,

his ailing mother locked. The aunt who

was prescribed dialysis, locked. The sister-in-law

who was in the family way, locked. Economy

locked, it's recovery locked. Only one thing,

that goddamned virus isn't locked.

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Ankur Jyoti Saikia (he/ him) is a researcher at a forestry research institute in India with works being published in the Minison Zine and Bluepepper.