Ladner resident Donna Gibson penned this poem, A Joyful Noise, on how the COVID-19 pandemic has turned life upside down:
We sit inside on a quiet day. The doctors tell us to stay that way.
I miss my friends, I miss my life. I miss the time there was no strife.
I miss your smile, your hug when I see you. I miss all the things that make my life real,
The routine, the games, the search for pleasure, the things I love beyond all measure.
As I sit and think about myself, my mind moves on to everyone else
The sick, the dying, the hospital bed, the gowns, the masks, the sense of dread.
Those who walk fearlessly into the war, and then I think of myself no more.
I think of those who risk their lives, so that others like me survive.
The doctors, the nurses, the caretakers all, the volunteers who answer the call.
The drivers, the cleaners, the people who serve, who give to me more than I clearly deserve.
The selfless, the kindest, the bravest of heart, who work without ceasing from morn until dark.
All I have to offer is the beating of drums, as I clang on my pots when the seventh hour comes.
