I think poets naturally show a gratitude for life. We appreciate solitude for writing, and yet, perhaps when there is too much of it, like during the pandemic lockdown, it gets a little much for us all. Before the pandemic, I would make it a point to get out of my office twice a day to do errands, just to break up the long day.  Now, errands aren’t something I am doing.

I learned when I was in  my thirties, when I was facing a major, unexpected crisis, to be grateful for what I had, though it didn’t seem like I had much left at the time. I learned to practice affirmations, and to this day being grateful and affirmations are a way of life.

During the pandemic, I am eating a lot of canned food, something I didn’t do much of before. I’ve never been creative in the kitchen…