Poem: Lockdown

Books & Poetry

Bradley Serry from Melbourne reflects on an uppermost matter of our times in this week’s Poet’s Corner.

Wednesday September 29, 2021

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Lockdown

The world shrinks again
it closes in
forces beyond, beyond our control
limit our movements
focus my mind

my mind that freedom that cell
unbound by the lack of attachments
weighed down by the anxiety
the unknown
the options

I could write
I could read
I could learn Spanish
I could get sick
I could curl up

but time stretches out
a vast a forming expanse
normality on the other side
do I look forward or back,
in both directions a chasm?

Bradley Serry lives in Melbourne. Graduating from Monash University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law, he is a junior lawyer and has written for the Alternative Law Journal.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.

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<h1>Poem: Lockdown</h1>

<p><p>Bradley Serry from Melbourne reflects on an uppermost matter of our times in this week’s <em>Poet’s Corner</em>.</p>
</p>
																		<address><a href="https://inreview.com.au/contributors/compiled-by-john-miles/" class="author">Compiled by John Miles</a></address>
											
							<h2><a href="#lockdown" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="lockdown"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a><strong>Lockdown</strong></h2>
<p>The world shrinks again<br />
it closes in<br />
forces beyond, beyond our control<br />
limit our movements<br />
focus my mind</p>
<p>my mind that freedom that cell<br />
unbound by the lack of attachments<br />
weighed down by the anxiety<br />
the unknown<br />
the options</p>
<p>I could write<br />
I could read<br />
I could learn Spanish<br />
I could get sick<br />
I could curl up</p>
<p>but time stretches out<br />
a vast a forming expanse<br />
normality on the other side<br />
do I look forward or back,<br />
in both directions a chasm?</p>
<p><strong><em>Bradley Serry</em></strong><em> lives in Melbourne. Graduating from Monash University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law, he is a junior lawyer and has written for the Alternative Law Journal.</em></p>
<h5><a href="#readers-original-and-unpublished-poems-of-up-to-40-lines-can-be-emailed-with-postal-address-to-poetscornersolsticemedia-com-au-submissions-should-be-in-the-body-of-the-email-not-as-attac" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="readers-original-and-unpublished-poems-of-up-to-40-lines-can-be-emailed-with-postal-address-to-poetscornersolsticemedia-com-au-submissions-should-be-in-the-body-of-the-email-not-as-attac"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a>Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.</h5>
							<p>This article is republished from <a href="https://inreview.com.au" target=_blank  rel="canonical">InReview</a> under a Creative Commons licence. Read the <a href="https://inreview.com.au/inreview/books-and-poetry/2021/09/29/poem-lockdown/" target=_blank  rel="canonical">original article</a>.</p>
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Lockdown

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.

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