On January the twenty-first
Emerged the first US Corona Case.
“We’ve blocked air travel,” they declared,
But failed to mention who was spared,
So all abroad cut short their trips,
Crammed into planes without free seats,
Some were coughing, others sneezing,
Here and there, someone was wheezing.
Thousands crammed arrival halls,
Customs barely moved at all.
“It will not spread, it is contained”
Assured our lying president.
“Cruise ships quarantined,” and hence
“We’re safe on land,” thus spoke Mike Pence.

By February, it was onshore,
They could not stop it anymore,
First the west coast, then Chicago,
To New York. to all five boroughs.
It was time to build stockpiles,
Off we went to Costco’s isles,
Filled a cart with rice and legumes,
garbanzo, flour, oil, and sorghum.
Toiletpaper? Don’t be shy.
We should always use two-ply.
Covid spread to Pennsylvania,
Newsome locked down California.
Sheltered in place, and not too soon,
Zoom became our living room.

In March we had some food brought in,
But the rations were too thin,
Two potatoes, sagging carrots,
Not enough to feed two parrots.
Bright and early on your toes
You were first at Trader Joe’s.
Hand sanitizer at the door,
Must wear a mask when in the store.
Asparagus, Brussel sprouts,
Were worth the risk without a doubt.

Passover showed up in April,
But our savior couldn’t make it.
The seder seemed more like detention,
We rushed the plagues and the four questions.
Gefiltefish and kneidlach,
“We have to see the kinderlach,”
Why not reverse the exodus,
And have the family come to us?”
June began the family travels.
First the girls and then their Momma.
Suma pushed and out came Maya,
The girls camped at the JCC,
Ami spent time with Shani,
Itamar kept most his poise,
When Ami snatched away some toys,
Tintin came, it was real cool.
Afternoons all by the pool,
Just to wrap up כתה ג,
They climbed rocks with Hayim Kimel
Two months like a jubilee,
Celebrating virus free.

August came, Yeela flew back,
Osmo came to pick up slack.
September was a time for changes,
Place some bets and make investments,
Since museums were still closed,
Buy some art to fill the walls,
Starting with Aliza’s painting,
With new lighting in the ceiling.
Are there more portraits that you’ll get?
Anna did not paint them yet.
Students dialed back in September,
Distinguishing number and gender.
October’s bad for spending sprees
So shop the neighbor’s lemon trees.
Pick all you want, just don’t get caught,
We need you here to mail your vote.

November came and turned a corner.
Insanity will not last much longer.
The crisis isn’t over yet,
But there is much to celebrate,
In retrospect, it was a test,
Showing us what you do best,
You carried us through this strange year,
From near and far we hold you dear.
We hope you travel, come next year.