Free Verse About Pandemics

It turns out
That pandemics are not just about
Highly infectious diseases

They are also about
Competency
Logistics
And cooperation
Either exemplary
Or a lack thereof

And they are about values
Sometimes shared
Often not

And about divisions in society
Some previously unseen
Others exacerbated

And as they go on
And on
And on
They become increasingly about
Patience
And tolerance
Holding on to them
As both become exhausted commodities

But as I reflect
On the trials and tribulations
Of this pandemic
I can console myself
With the knowledge
That it’s been a long time
Since I worried about toilet paper.