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"Side Ef​fects of a Pandemic”



A small selection from the first two volumes of "Side Effects of a Pandemic"

A compilation of 100+ poems and artistic photography I created during the Covid-19 world pandemic. 

A personal journey of self discovery, social analysis, and contemplation 

during uncertain times.

(more to come...)

00:00 / 06:52

#1

In the middle of crazy times​

It feels like a mix of Hunger Games

and House of Cards

the Virus takes our freedom

and plays around with lives 

We sit comfortably at home

watching the heroes fight till die

We watch them in our big screens

like another movie pass by 

We complain that we can’t shop

and get around as we used to like

but the businesses will open

we will go back to our normal lives

We will turn the page as it was a story

in a dimension far from ours

Human kind is once again

pretending to be gods 

Who knows if this time

we will learn the lessons given

Only history will tell

If this time we

will succeed at it...

——

#2

Normal doesn’t seem real

feels more like a foggy dream

paved by the ones that hope

for sheep instead of Homo beings  

Try to fit in the crowds

follow the masses by near

rebellious can’t be restrained

‘cause it’s the essence of the wild being   

Bypass a reflection

won’t recognize the self

somewhere in the path to nowhere

the uniqueness left again

Lost in the road to emptiness

the soul began to crack

‘cause there was nothing to look forward

there was no passion left in life

But it’s never really over

life provides an exit road

Could it possibly be a gamble?

nobody really knows

No matter what the outcome

or the future may just bring

there is something more important

hope is always near...

——

#3

You’re just a girl​

just a pretty face

you can’t add, you can’t count

you can’t learn physics, chemistry or math


Measure distance

measure waves

memorize the numbers

count them all again

Was science really a magic

way beyond myself?


Girl, did you set yourself for failing?

Over and over again?

Oh! how wrong was I

to let my curious mind

be trapped by walls and fences

and put limits to my senses


Because few seem to explain

that the universe is found

deep inside ourselves

with no limits and no bounds


We learn the given formulas

but we fail to understand

that the world comes within

and from all of us around


But it’s never been too late

to set yourself be free

from the walls that may chain down

your beautiful creativity


So it’s time to just be brave

to turn away from fake

to open your wings big

and set yourself out there


Fly as high as the sky

you may go beyond what you think

you may fall a million times

but it’s worth to look after your dreams


So set the worries aside

don’t care about what they think

you only have this one life

to find your mission down here...

——

#4

Stop your mind

quiet your thoughts

everyone says

It’s time to move on


The mind was the trap

it wouldn’t let go

it kept it all inside

deep down in a hole


Always looking for answers

to deep questions beyond

what the mind could understand

‘cause they’re matters of the soul


Mind would win the battle

constant against the heart

‘cause reason seems to reign

over the soul in our lands


Thoughts come and go

distracting the heart and soul

blocking all vibrations

from letting them flow


Then the sun awakens

that part of the self

that’s been hiding away

from all the universe


And the light allows in

to see the beauty again

to have all over the world

the eyes shine again


So be no mistaken

It’s not the mind that talks

because the heart has now open

and all the vibrations just flow...

——

#5

Who cares about hunger,

others poverty or death?

people starve by the hundreds

in a random town out there


We walk into our closets

find nothing fine to wear

look inside the fridge

no food good to my taste


We burn ourselves with brand names

like cattle marks in depth

showcase expensive jewelry

diamonds pull the souls away


We drive around in fancy cars

as tokens of our worth

letting them suck the ground

and pollute our beautiful world


We have exhausted the oceans

the forests and the lands

and filled every bit

with huge piles of trash


We keep worshiping the wrong idol

that everyone seems to love

call it money or just numbers

Does it really matter at all?


We simply allow greed

to keep feeding the soul

without really caring

for anything more...

——

#6

Hearing rain drops

falling on the ground

a refreshing moment

that brings hope around


Trees dancing happy

to the tune of the wind

birds fluttering their wings

in the puddles of the creek


Flowers smiling face up

to the glorious drops

that heaven has sent

as a gift to them all


Roots starting to wiggle

like worms in the dirt

sucking the goodness

to grow long and firm


Clouds moving so quickly

covering the skies

so very dark and thick

turning the day into night


Storms passing by

darkness seems so dense

but everything clears up

to let light shine again


It’s all part of the process

even the darkest nights

to make us grow better

and finally realize


That life is about the journey

and not the destination

yes, that cliché phrase

so true and universal...

——

#7

A special moment

thanks to a smell

that came from a tree

bleeding with no end


An opening on its side

letting the drops go down

yellow and orange tears

kept falling to the ground


Beautiful stalactites

created out of resin

deep smell of the woods

brought memories back to places


Sticky fingers remembered

that brand new cake of rosin

from a magical instrument

that opened doors like Moses


The earthy pine smell

took the clock back

to the first notes pulled

out of the violin...or a screaming cat?


The magical powder

felt like stardust from the sky

gave the fingers the power

to make notes fly high


Beautiful and smelly resin

your tears open many doors

of gifts in the music

and the entire art world


Keep the dreamy melodies playing

fragile dancers on their toes

Kings’ jewelry shining bright

and DNA solid as a rock...

——

#8

Oh, bird of early rise!

your beautiful singing

keeps waking me up

cutting my dreams short

before the sun is even up


Is four in the morning

a time to be out?

The moon is still winking

an eye with a smile


The stars are still hanging

so bright in the sky

The night is so silent

peaceful and calm


I can even hear the crickets

and mice out in the yard

You seem so persistent

in getting me up

Please!

keep your loud chirping

just a little bit mild


Wait a few hours

for the sunrise to shine

for the other birds to wake

and join your happy dance


Wait for the fragrance of fresh coffee

to travel through the house

let the enchanting smell of beans

get the stuffy noses

bring souls back to life


So, beautiful happy bird

I don’t mind your early rise!

just don’t ever stop your chirping

‘cause if you so decide

I will truly long your singing

every morning by my side...

——

#9

When you speak

from the heart

You can’t lie

you can’t hide


There’s no script

that could tell

What’s truly

in your head


There’s no piece

that could sing

the true verses

of your being


There’s no story

that could be typed

or even

written by your hand


There’s no guidelines

nor a list

for the sayings

that must be


All so perfect

and so polished

for the world

to be in awing


It’s the true self

that just shows

the pure essence

of the soul...

——

#10

A butterfly brings hope

to the window of a little boy

who doesn’t know if he will see

the light of the sun to run again free


In a very crowded room

with hundreds of people by the inch

looking like figure sticks

skeletons showing through their skins


With no hair and no clothes

they looked just like hunted souls

by the evil spirits that put on stars

and took their lives to the chambers of gas


Music was the savior for all

kept them going on and on

gave them a good reason to see

the beauty in the cruel beings


Big spirits and strong souls

found refuge in the bonds

of the music in their minds

that ran free from all the ties


They could tear their bodies apart

but they could never ever find

that amazing special world

they created with their souls


So the army of the death

never saw their real strength

no gas chamber just could take

what belongs to the universe


And that beautiful butterfly

kept flattering her wings

began a chain effect

for those souls to run free again...

——

#11

There was once a blue bird

that followed everywhere

was it a blue jay

or a little humming bird?


It could take different forms

and turn multiple shapes

It could watch out far and near

and follow with no end


It had wings of a blue angel

with white feathers all around

shining light from all the stars

It could make beautiful sounds


It could fly very long routes

across places ‘round the globe

It would never fail to follow

and watch always from above


It felt like a miraculous company

who traveled along the paths

that had gotten someone so lost

‘cause they had turned so dark


With the flattering of its wings

kept on going just to bring

a bit of light to the being

that lost soul needed for seeing


Its watching and hours of wait

felt endless and a minute away

but were all worth at the end

‘cause its singing could cure all pain...

——

#12

All lives matter to us all

scream the people ‘round the world

pointing fingers to the ones

abusing power with no crime