The poet laureate, Simon Armitage, has given a reading of his new poem, ‘Only Human’, that was commissioned by York Minster to mark the second National Day of Reflection for Covid-19 on 23 March 2022.

He read the poem at a special Choral Evensong service with music by the Choir of York Minster, readings and prayers of remembrance and hope. People visited the Minster throughout the day to remember loved ones who died and those now living with physical and mental health challenges as a result of the virus.

 

ONLY HUMAN

by Simon Armitage

 

Creatures of touch – creatures of talk –

we were busy telling the world

what was what – molding the earth

to our shape – when a front rolled in –

some invisible weather infused

with a harm that leapt from hand

to hand – or spread by word of mouth –

made its lair in the lungs – its roost

on the tongue.  For weeks then years

it was hard to belong – to be whole.

And months in between of holding

our nerve – the soul treading water

in heavy mist – the mind in amber –

time keeping step with the drumbeat

of grief and hurt – the daily count.

 

A great many lost.  So here we pause.

 

We came through – kindled a heat

in the dark – candled our own hearts

till the air was fit to breathe again –

and witnessed a dawn of sorts

where we sang – spooned – snogged – smooched –

woke with a finer sense of the beings

we are – and what being is – gathered

together – unmasked – as creatures of thought.

In parks around the globe – blossoms

were culled to keep admirers away –

two years on those trees are budding

louder and fuller – with fruit to come –

apple and cherry – peach – pear – plum.

In the public gardens the poet wrote

We are better now – that is the hope.