FRONTLINE FRIENDS: JOHN AND SARAH

JOHN AND SARAH

John, an excellent actor now drives a Sainsburys van,

Serving others. Instead of delivering language, it is now

The foods and facts of life as lived he trades in.

But then aren’t we all actors now, with theatres

And cinemas framed by laptops? Thus, John’s celebritised

Drive sees him feted, a star on each street fresh fame spins.

Sarah, one of the true life and souls serves the body

Politic: A Policewoman. She has spent her days in a minibus

Cramped and careful, while the uncaring few stain the streets.

Enforcing the message she serves echoes her studies and start

As an actress, with the city itself as the stage space on which

She must now redirect our defeats.

                                                        These are two different

Friends from way back, both on the front line of this battle.

Along with the NHS workers, they have both life and death

In their hands. These are now the people who rule, separate

To the so-called Politicians, and for that matter , the Monarch

And her much maligned, troubled clan. Gloved or not, masked,

Made up, Sarah and John are dealing with the particular facts

We are kept from. Stuck in the air that is cleaner, or 5G

Smeared, bravery. John’s customers wait for him as nested birds

Do for mothers, each eager mouth, clucking, yearning

As our contained former freedom in some way ape’s slavery. 

Of course, every animal naturally needs its feed, and with streets

As zoos, John’s a keeper, as he and his fellow drivers

Seek to sustain each soiled cage. Sarah’s is the more thankless

Task, as the lawgivers code earns no honour, but watchful

At the gates she and her colleagues shield us; it’s the public

Not knowing entirely what from that fuels rage. Everyone does

What they can, apart from those that can’t, who fall useless. 

Such as myself. And yet John’s charm and grace as a person

Makes him a Messiah of sorts in his van. As a good Catholic boy,

He serves the family light that first formed him, while Sarah’s

Religion glows from the woman she has always been: She’s her plan.

Having to work the day through means she has precious little time

With her daughters.  John’s girls are older, but a connection strained

Still yields pain. I have no parents now, so feel the forced separation 

Of others, as they strive and strain for each other. Mothers, sons,

Daughters and fathers of course, without claim. As these two friends

Carve the streets, the city surround duly slices. If each slice

Can be seen as one of us, or a ration, then we should hit the plate

Knowing that these are kindly hands on the knife. Of course,

It wasn’t their choice to cut: someone else did the shopping.

Or made the list they both follow, so as nest seeks bird

And I, wife, these two old friends fill the gap with the sheer

Force of will they are serving . Both to themselves and their

Loved ones, as their work becomes sacrifice. But they at least

Have found use. The Front line remains a long sentence.

Filled by Police, postmen, drivers, cleaners, roadsweepers,

Nurses,  Doctors, Porters and all of those close to death.

My loneliness fades when fuelled by a charged sense of purpose.

I am writing my way to reach people in a pale effort of theirs

With each breath. As John and Sarah risk theirs we see

The true finishing point of this struggle: Community becomes

Recognition not of the great, but the small.

The grander gestures we’ve seen as TV itself caters to it,

But with the food of proper care and provision

We start to see the glory slide through the fall.

So, John and Sarah work on, and all of the others

Just like them. Two friends of mine whose souls echo

The simple signal sound of hope’s call.

David Erdos April 20th 2020 

For more poems from David Erdos visit The Corona Diaries collection 

David Erdos is an actor, writer, director with over 300 professional credits. He is a published poet, playwright, essayist and illustrator. He has lectured on all disciplines in theatre and film for leading performing arts colleges, schools and universities around the world. His books include EASY VERSES FOR DIFFICULT TIMES, THE SCAR ON THE CLOUD, OIL ON SILVER, NEWS FROM MARS, CHANGING PLACES WITH LIGHT (penniless press) and BYZANTIUM with the photographer Max Reeves. He is a contributing editor for The International Times and maker of documentaries all over the world. David’s work has been acclaimed by many leading figures including Harold Pinter, Heathcote Williams, Alan Moore, Andrew Kotting, Chris Petit and Iain Sinclair in whose recent book THE LAST LONDON, David features. He can be reached at David.erdos@sky.com.

David Erdos

©    David Erdos has asserted his moral rights as author of his work and has full copyright.