Corona With A Capital C

carbonated soft drinks

in fizzy flavours, how eagerly

awaited were deliveries of

those bottles of tangy orangeade,

luscious raspberry or sweet cherry

whose brightest of reds

would stain teenage lips

as well as young tongues

my top pick, American cream soda

dandelion and burdock brought bubbles

rising in high excitement to burst

on surface of clear glass tumblers

while my handsome, wish he was mine

oh so tantalisingly handsome this beau

whistled down our garden path weekly

crate held in tanned arms, so inviting

royalty of pop clinking away

that famous seven pronged crown

stamped in black on white label,

the designer of drinks

Corona we loved you and I

yes I certainly had eyes for him,

a prince in my book

that c word now summons fear

visiting too close to home,

first UK death in our town

empty shelves, panic setting in

anticipating a rough ride

no vaccinations in sight

a pandemic in the making

reminiscent of Spanish flu,

a century past when the reaper

dug in, reaped his havoc

where misery spread with the dead

while the bell tolled for millions

in unmerciful and prolonged agony

Reviews

[.]

Yesss. It's quite frightening! The cases in China are falling while the rest of the world is on the rise. It makes one fearful and especially for the elderly we love and cherish. There will be some very difficult months ahead for all of us. I adore how your poem started off as a reminiscing about the soda's of your youth (i associate Corona with long necked beer bottles only!), then transforms into a reflection of the crisis of our times. Let's hope the world gets through this very quickly. A relevant piece of writing, dear Chris. Imaginative and thoughtful.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Jamila for your thoughtful review. You are appreciated.

Chris

[Wild Rose]

Like Jamila I loved the beginning
Talks of fizzy thirst quenching drinks
Oh for a warn summer afternoon sitting on a lounger, with fizzy pop in my hand

Sitting in our lounge (chair almost worn out) sun shine through the window > fizzy pop now warm
Unable to go out . even to our enclosed garden _ No immunity germs are easier to catch

Oh well we are having a tin of meat from the stock in the camper - so almost camping

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Wild Rose. I am really nostalgic for the days when the fuzzy drinks were delivered to our home. Keep safe and well.

Chris

[Wild Rose]

Actually it makes very little difference to us
Now retired, winter is a time when we spend most of our time in the house (Why go out in the rain?)
Its now when the weather is fine and all we have is the garden, or walk round the houses - we want to go down to the sea
Son is at home because of our age > He would have been delivering medication to care homes otherwise > County Council staff with cars

[Beccy]

Yes, the case of the vanishing loo rolls is a puzzle that would challenge even Poirot's little grey cells I think.

Like you say, nowt so strange as folk. :))

Beccy.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for the smile Beccy. Have a great day :)

Chris

[Beccy]

I recall the H1N1 Swine Flue pandemic of 2009/10, that got pretty big, millions of cases worldwide; let us pray that this latest 'Crown of Thorns,' doesn't rise to such destructive heights.

I also, remember Corona soft drinks; just about. Mum and dad would buy it for my sister and I, I liked the Orange flavour, but I don't think it was around all that long when we were kids.

Beccy.

[Chris Shaw]

Pleased you remembered the soft drinks Beccy. Much more pleasant than the virus which is sweeping through this planet. There is such panic buying going on in our shops, I really don't know why all the toilet rolls have gone from the shelves. I can understand the hand wash but toilet rolls? Nothing so strange as folk. Appreciate your visits and keep washing your hands :) All good wishes to you and your boy.

Chris

[Relic]

I hesitated reviewing this because I don't enough about the virus. But I can see your point in being similar or reminiscent of the spanish flu. Each day I hear more bad news on how it's spreading across the world like a wildfire.

Someone on a talk show here recently stated it will probably go away when the spring with its heat comes. Yet, Florida gets pretty hot and, as far as I know, they have cases there.

We'll see how it goes and how the market reacts. Until things get better, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Chris Shaw]

The media are having a field day at the moment. Irresponsible reporting causes panic. I'm not saying the situation isn't serious, but there is fear around. Why the hell all of the toilet rolls on the shelves have gone is beyond me completely. I can understand the demand for hand-wash but toilet rolls :)) Thank you Tim. My fingers are crossed too. All good wishes.

Chris

[Carolynn]

Interesting that that one word went from being something so innocent to something that invokes world wide fear. I do wish the media would stop creating such unnecessary havoc. You did a great job describing your love of Corona in the past - too bad it had to be tainted!

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Carolynn. Yes panic is setting in and the media in the main are responsible for it. Can't get toilet rolls. They have all gone from the shelves. I mean, what is all that about? Hand-wash maybe but toilet rolls :))

Chris

[Sami Khalil]

I like the contrast between your favourite drink sharing the name with a menacing virus. The sweet and the bitter realities of life are evident in your message. Fear drives a lot of people whether negative or positive. I hope it does not become an epidemic leading a pandemic. I see you have the heart of a poet and the sight of a nurse.

[Chris Shaw]

Sami, you always leave me such lovely reviews. Yes this is a poem of sharp contrasts. Appreciate you and your visits.

Chris

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome.

[Fran Marie]

How quickly things
can change..the sweet
taste of soda delivered
by a dreamboat/guy

now a nightmare virus
Invades with the delivery
of death...the corona
virus has now arrived
in Kentucky...

[Chris Shaw]

Keep safe in Kentucky Fran Marie. I much preferred the corona soft drinks of my youth than what is being served up now. Appreciate you.

Chris

[Davidgeo]

In reality, no, it isn't reminiscent of the Spanish Flu at all. That was during the pre-abiotic era of medicine which meant we had no real way to treat secondary bacterial issues when people get sick from virus's and those secondary bacterial infections are usually what kills you due to the weakened immune system caused by the viral infection. It was also during the pre-antiviral era of medicine as well. I get hyperbole but this isn't a good topic for that right now, it's resembles a person pandering to general panic without any real objective knowledge on that topic. The Spanish Flu killed 50 million people because we didn't understand what virus's even were at that point in time; it was a global pandemic because of that lack of understanding... the perfect storm of general scientific ignorance and global social turmoil turned something really bad into something once in a million years type of bad. Comparing the Coronavirus to the Spanish Flu is scientifically ignorant.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you. You will note that I spent three stanzas describing my memories of corona, a soft drink. The final two do not reflect necessarily reflect what I am thinking in the current climate, but certainly what is being reported by the media. Our shelves are empty, that is not my fault. I can write about anything I choose. You can choose to visit or not.

Chris

[Davidgeo]

Relax Chris. I'm just pointing something out in your writing that I'm not a fan of, it's not a personal attack. You choose to take it as one or not. I hope you choose the latter.

[Chris Shaw]

Happy for you to critique my writing, but there have been far too many personal attacks on this site recently. Maybe I am getting touchy in my old age Dave.

[Davidgeo]

It's fine, don't worry about it. I know you're good people. And if I'm ever personally attacking you, I'll let you know.

[Dave Brown]

Saw this a while ago but didn't want to think about it!
This is a good/bad contribution.
You took me back to those cream soda days, loved that stuff.
I am the wrong age bracket for this new corona and tho we are fairly isolated, as I was typically lying awake @ 2AM I began thinking of the possible consequences
Wasn't pretty
Worst part of not sleeping is thinking
Again, enjoy the weekend now u hear

[Chris Shaw]

I don't drink that Corona beer. I prefer real ale, but I loved the corona soft drinks. I know what you mean about things playing on your mind when you can't sleep. Yes, a poem of contrasts. The good and the ugly. Appreciate your checking in Dave. Take care.

[Gee]

Brought childhood memories flooding back of nicking the empty bottles from out of the newsagents store then taking them back to him to be paid out the deposit that used to be paid:)
And then the virus, aaaaaaaaaagh, The sooner we all get it and survive the better( in my book)
Hope all is well in Berks Chris, and thank you

[Chris Shaw]

Oh those were the days. Taking the bottles back for the deposits. Loved doing that. Felt wealthy afterwards. All's OK here apart from the shortage of toilet rolls. I just don't get that at all. All the shelves completely cleared. We will all have to go back to using newspapers which is what my grandparents did donkeys years ago :) Thanks for checking in Gee.

Chris

[Stella Armour]

i would to have the fizzy tingle of the old corona as you have brought back such refreshing memories :)

But in reality, this new corona is so deadly especially to my generation it is becoming frightening; although i do think the universe is calling payback time for the horrendous way some people have treated and abused mother nature..

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Stella for checking in. I loved the tingle on the tongue as well with those soft drinks. The least said about the virus the better. I do think you are right. Mother nature balancing things out. Nature always has the upper hand. Look after yourself.

Chris