Summary

This short poem titled 'Walking To Clear My Mind', handwritten on A4 archival paper, references daily life in the State of Victoria following a period of COVID-19 lockdowns and isolation. The author Marina Maggs, a resident in Sunshine, wrote this poem in late 2020, after the second period of 'Stay at Home' lockdowns in Victoria, in order to reflect on what she and her local community had been through, and what she had learnt. 'This particular poem was written after the end of the second lockdown, when we were finally set free after those long months', she recalled in February 2021. 'One night, I was having trouble sleeping and found myself thinking about exactly how I had managed to cope with the shutdown and I started writing down my thoughts. I realized that, for me, getting out and walking most days and hearing about the kindness of so many people during this period, very much helped me through this black time.

In the poem Marina writes about the sadness, changed routines and difficulties of living through the pandemic, but she also reflects on how she found hope and solace through the 'little things' such as walking, saying hello to strangers, seeing teddies in windows and Spoonville villages and 'helping others and being kind.' Brief yet evocative, this poem provides a lasting reminder of the lived experiences and daily life of individuals during the pandemic, as well as the importance of creative writing as a vehicle for individual and civic healing. 'I found that during COVID-19, writing helped me to put things that were going on around me in perspective. Writing some poetry became my outlet, my coping mechanism', she reflected in February 2021.

Physical Description

Handwritten poem on two sheets of A4 archival paper with a small sticker depicting roses on page two.

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