Margaret Serious

Ah, look at all the lonely people! ‘Eleanor Rigby’ in quarantine

My look at “getaway songs” in recent weeks led me to “Eleanor Rigby” by the Beatles (well, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, of course). Living alone myself under Illinois’ “stay-at-home” order, a.k.a. quarantine, suddenly I’m thinking of it more than usual. Here’s my modernized version of the words, with apologies to the great Sir Paul and the late, great John:

Ah, look at all the lonely people!
Ah, here are all the lonely people!

Eleanor Rigby
picks up the trash near the church where no service has been
but on the screen;
Looks out the window,
puts on the mask that she keeps in a jar by the door,
goes to one store.

All the lonely people
Where do we all come from?
All the lonely people
Re-writing viral songs.

Pastor McKenzie
Writing the words of a sermon that cannot be seen
Without a screen.

Sits at home, working —
Darning his socks in the night ’cause he can’t buy a spare;
What should he wear?

All the lonely people
Where did we all come from?
All the lonely people,

Covid, what have you done?

Ah, here are all the lonely people!
Ah, look at all the lonely people!

Eleanor Rigby

died of the virus, was buried, but it was a shame.

Nobody came.

Pastor McKenzie

re-sanitizing his hands as he walks from the grave —

Covid won’t save!