By Kyia Smith

When we think of 2020, Ha

Let’s not even mention it

Because in 2019 we hoped that 2020 was different

Then we got there and we wanted to go back

But by that point it was kind of too late for that

The thought of composing it into a poem is bizarre

I mean honestly I didn’t think we would even get this far

I’ll describe each of the days, month by month, one by one

As you relive it, picture that 2020 has just begun

January of 2020 yeah some memes went viral

Like people and hieros (hieroglyphics)

Trying to decipher the high rows

Of symbols that were drawn to represent before

Or in this case, a war

But to teens, a bore

It started off between two countries… and

Just two parts of land

The US and Iran

Memes circled the media about World War III

It wasn’t a joke you see

Seems like a coping mechanism to me

February of 2020, yeah a lot went on

And some would even say that it continued for too long

At first we didn’t even see it as a global pandemic

We just saw it as a disease that killed people in it

Because once you have corona you start to see things different

Your lifespan changes, you have a lower percentage of livin’

We care about lives, and as we were owning up

The first American died of the disease called corona

These next few months are going to go by pretty fast

Because looking back on it, all of it happened in the past

Before you knew it they came with an idea that was sure some sort of sign

And they introduced the world of “Distance Learning” or “Online”

For many this was hard to adjust

I was used to the shrine that I looked over countless times

Because I never really thought it was a must

To appreciate all of us together in a line

When we would be waiting for our lunch

Things were strict and so was the work that was assigned 

We had to make sure we typed the “P” on time

To indicate that we were present

While our teachers were teaching their lesson

Come the month of April it was like the world froze

I got used to walking and seeing the word “closed”

Businesses started letting people off from work

So there was my farewell to my favorite store clerk

A lot started happening, but I digress

In May, Hong Kong started having protests

And they weren’t the only ones because after May comes the latter

In June people were screaming that “Black Lives Matter”

That was a year that will go down in history

But no one really questions how it affected people mentally

Having to be trapped in a room with no symmetry

Logging on every day, being where you’re supposed to be

Trying to find the motivation to put in your ‘P’

To indicate that you’re present

Well, that got old to me

Trying to stay focused when there’s a squirrel going up a tree

And you glance off for a second, wishing that you could be free

Just like that squirrel

With no care in the world

They don’t have to wear masks or see if their hair is still curled

“HELLO?” your teacher screams through the computer

Because she feels that no one is paying attention to her

For classwork that she worked on all night, yes she did

Even though she has a family, significant other, and kids

But she wanted to make sure that the presentation was just right

But she made so many typos that the kids think she can’t write

She really gave it all she could, she tried nothing less

But it’s okay she shouldn’t worry, she tried her best

I want everything to go back to our normal

I kind of want to see the world

I don’t want everything to be abnormal

I want to be just like that squirrel.