Twenty Seconds

Izzy Powell is originally from Edinburgh but now lives in the Scottish Highlands just south of Aviemore. She is a dementia support worker but has had to work from home unable to see people who need her most. This is her poem.

One, one thousand,

Home is safe and safe is home

Two, one thousand

Routine was kept alive,

Three, one thousand

For him, but I

Four, one thousand

Was full of anger

Five, one thousand

and frustration

Six, one thousand

at talking to the cats

Seven, one thousand

and too scared to even

Eight, one thousand

put the rubbish out

Nine, one thousand

Sitting making shawls

Ten, one thousand

for nine hours a day

Eleven, one thousand

Binge watching Netflix

Twelve, one thousand

To keep the horrors away

Thirteen, one thousand

Missing my family

Fourteen, one thousand

locked in the Central Belt

Fifteen, one thousand

Feeling guilt about

Sixteen, one thousand

seeing others

Seventeen, one thousand

Recoiling at an accidental touch

Eighteen, one thousand

We’re all

Nineteen, one thousand

In this

Twenty, one thousand

Together.