I label these boxes working on this line,
Thinking about you the whole time.
The only gold in a world of grey,
The only good in a world of dismay.
I stack another box on this pallet,
Wondering if it was you who packed it.
It may have been in your hands moments ago,
A heavenly feeling I wish I could know...
I laugh at myself for being jealous of a box,
But these days my confidence is all but lost.
Still I rush to work every night just to see you,
Your golden smile is the only thing pulling me through
These grey, morbid, socially distant days
Where I wish I could just fade away.
The world is lost in corona virus, lockdown, quarantine despair,
While I'm mesmerized by a loose curl in your perfect hair.
I try to concentrate on the job that I'm doing,
But one glimpse of you and my focus goes to ruins.
You shine so brightly that you put the other stars to shame.
You're so special to me, and I know you don't feel the same,
But you give me so much hope in this hopeless year,
Where fake news and attention seekers fill the media,
Their lies and conspiracy theories seem never ending;
Your thoughtfulness and honesty is so refreshing.
You are the only person I want to talk to,
I trust you, but I lack the confidence to talk to you.
I'm scared of annoying you by talking to you too often,
But that doesn't mean I don't think of you as golden.
I think of a hundred conversations that we could have,
I say nothing because of the confidence I lack.
I find my silence so stressful and frustrating,
But watching you work is somehow so calming.
I want to tell you how I admire your calmness,
You never seem to be under any stress,
Even when you're overworked and tired
You're calmness is to be admired.
You're as composed as a perfect harmony.
When my mind is quietly becoming stormy,
You calmness washes over me like a gentle breeze.
You have no idea how many times you have helped me
Catch my breath when I've been suffering in silence.
I wish I could thank you for your help.
You amaze me in so many ways.
You never take any holidays or sick days
Even though you are the most deserving.
You're always here, you're always working.
You work so damned hard, and you help everyone.
You're the last person working when our shift is done.
You tidy up the mess that everyone else leaves behind.
You're the hardest worker this company will ever find.
You never complain, and you're so polite and patient.
You'll never be able to convince me that you're not Heaven sent.
I wish I could find the confidence to be your friend,
But it's so hard for me, I hope you understand
That every time I help you, I'm trying to show you
That I wish we were friends because I can't really talk to you.
Life is hard for me, and then it got worse
When we fell victim to this corona virus curse.
The social distancing rules and regulations
Have further increased my own self-isolation.
I haven't had a hug since January.
This year has been so lonely for me,
I have my support bubble, but it's only me in it.
I'd die just to hold your hand for a minute.
It's not that I'm in love with you, it's just that you are so lovely
And this year has left me so completely lonely.
You're the only beautiful thing I see from day to day,
It breaks my heart that I can't find a way to say
That I hope we are friends, I care so deeply for you.
My only wish is that you care a little for me too.
You always seem so thoughtful, I wonder what you're thinking
When you see another pallet or cage that needs moving.
Surely you know you can point at something and I'll do it for you,
I'm happy to do anything that helps you.
I'm in awe of how much work you do,
And I aspire to be more like you.
You do everything with such patience and grace,
I wish you didn't work in such a dirty, thankless place.
I know you're just a shooting star lighting up my sky,
It won't be too long until you are fortunate enough to fly
To a better job at a better time of day.
When you do go, please give me the chance to say
Goodbye, thank you for being so wonderful,
And that you are more beautiful than you could ever know.
You're so beautiful that even when you wear a facemask,
Your gorgeous, golden smile makes my heart dance;
Your eyes light up like shooting stars.
I hope you know how wonderful you are.
You are honestly the brightest star I see each night;
You work so hard, and you're so kind and polite,
And without even trying, you have helped me so much,
I will never be able to thank you enough.
Most days I wake up wishing I could stay home,
Depression makes me want to cry all alone,
But I know if I do that I won't see you,
So I rush to work every night hoping to
Receive a smile from you, the only reward for being here.
Thank you for pulling me through a difficult year.
YOU ARE READING
Badlands
PoetryThese poems are for the people and places I love but cannot see during these lonely, pandemic times.