Life and Times Unimaginable

A disease as new as the cause, its language full of echoing words,
Tested positive, asymptomatic, tracing, antibodies
As it spread is like paint on canvas, cases in staggering highs 

The trauma takes a heavy toll on the lives of patients, front-line staff
Without any questions or exclamations, they accept new norms–
PPE, N95 masks, and social distancing

Some counting days not knowing how many, silence their only embrace 
with a full heart; some wait for their turn with tears—
Some sent back to quarantine in the quietude of their own

Some see the shine of a new day—with their eyes and within their hearts
After days, weeks or months—with time playing its part—they return home
Every recovery renews hope of one less death and case

Breakthrough drugs, treatments, vaccine trials bring new light to a new normal
Models, lockdowns, going virtual, and reopening with caution
In the course of changing life and times unimaginable

A disease as new as the cause, its language full of echoing words 
The trauma takes a heavy toll on the lives of patients, front-line staff
Some counting days not knowing how many, silence their only embrace
Some see the shine of a new day—with their eyes and within their hearts
Breakthrough drugs, treatments, vaccine trials bring new light to a new normal

In its simplest form, the STAR poem consists of five tercets followed by five lines, one from each tercet. The five tercets represent the five triangles of a star and the last five lines represent the pentagon formed by the base of the five triangles. Each of the tercets must follow the same pattern in terms of syllables in each line and should have continuity in meaning. Also, the continuity applies to the last five single lines too that represent a simple star with five lines converging to a point. The preference is to have the lines having the same line number from each tercet for the last five lines.