Poem: Rest Now
Poem: Rest Now
Kingston poet Zoe McAvoy reflects on lockdown in her moving poem
REST NOW
My kids pointed out my grey hair today
and I thought of the hairdressers.
You should rest now.
When this is over, you’ll be so busy
with all the women
desperate for a hair cut and dye.
And I thought of the nail technicians
and the women on the beauty counters
and the masseuses and how
they should rest now.
Because the people will want to
look good
and dress up
and be touched
and held
Fixed.
And have their dried out old hands massaged
and soothed
and their aching tired bodies touched
and squeezed
and mended.
And you will want to look after them
like never before
because they looked after us.
And I thought of my florist friend
and how she should rest now
because once this is over
people will want flowers
to send to those that kept us safe
to say thank you.
Thank you to the nurses
and the carers
and the doctors
and the bin men
and the shop workers
and the delivery drivers
And great big thank you bouquets to the teachers from the parents
who now Get It.
And the builders
and the painters
and the plasterers – you must try to rest now
for when this is over you will be so busy
repairing
redoing
all the DIY that’s been done.
And I thought of my chef friends
and waiter friends
and pub friends and how they ought to rest now because when this is over,
the people will want to dress up and Go Out
to see each other
and talk
and laugh
and feel light
and looked after
and you will be ready.
And you will want to look after them like never before because they were kind
and did a good thing.
And my friends in the arts –
the actors,
the singers,
the writers,
the painters,
the filmmakers.
You must rest now for when this is over,
My gosh you will be busy.
To help us reflect,
to process,
to heal,
to learn
in that wonderful way only art can do.
And if you are worried about money,
please try not to be.
We’ve got you.
And if we have to, we will fight with you
and for you ‘til the right thing is done.
Poem Rest now by Zoe McAvoy
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