BIRDLAND JOURNAL

Celebrating Northern California Voices

Pandemic by Diana Donovan

Excuse me, I need to step out for a bit
into the world of my flannel pajamas
top-hatted snowmen are beckoning
in their hand-knit mittens and scarves.

It’s almost Christmas—penguins are caroling
the schools haven’t been closed
hospitals have plenty of masks and ventilators
John Prine’s on stage playing Angel From Montgomery.

I won’t be long, I promise
just one quick sleigh ride
listen, the bells are jingling
can someone please pass me a hot toddy?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A graduate of Brown University, Diana Donovan is a freelance marketing writer who lives with her husband and daughter in Mill Valley, California. She is a regular participant in San Francisco’s ‘literary mixtape’ Quiet Lightning. Her work has been published in Atlas and Alice, Panoplyzine, Plainsongs, Pacific Review, West Trade Review, and Not Very Quiet.

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