Long, long ago in 2019, there were many things we had never seen.

Queues for the shops and masks for our face
Or rules that told us to stay safely in place

Teachers had classrooms that weren’t a small screen.
It was a long time ago, 2019.

In March 2020, it would all change
And a new world dawned, unique and strange

Our vocab expanded. We said “covid” and “zoom”
And lessons took place in our living room.

We logged onto google and clicked on the link
We drove dad mad using colour printing ink.

School lunches were eaten in our own kitchen,
Making 3 meals a day caused some friction

We went for a walk and then walked some more
We couldn’t go far because that was the law.

We fell out of class - our connections were bad
Fighting for wi-fi with siblings and dad.

And we missed the yard and the grid and the hall
We longed to play “it” or just kick a ball.

Choirs were cancelled but there was still JCC
And we raised our voices in harmony

And it was definitely clear for all to see
We really meant – “You’ve got a friend in me”

Miss McGrath taught us Blake and Edward Lear
We studied the stanzas and then watched Top Gear

Mrs Goodthwaite did decimals and Lego too,
I know my preference, what about you?

Clear instructions came from Shroffy 99
About Science experiments to do offline

Mothers searched and pegs were found
We studied Newton and moved onto sound

We learned light isn’t white - as 2 prisms will prove
And a guitar string makes sound waves when it starts to move.

On and on, would it ever end?
We worried our mums would go round the bend

Then March the eighth loomed, Mum circled the date,
We woke at six thirty – not going to be late.

And finally, finally back with our class,
Our teachers, our chums,
At last! At last!

Our coats don’t fit, our shorts are too tight,
We have grown like weeds in the bright Spring light.

And like everything else, the barbers are shut
So we still can’t get our shaggy locks cut.

Mr Hammond is hovering, dying to pen
His infamous memo about hair length again.

It will say – “necks need the light and our ears should be seen”,
And then we will all look like 2019!