Its London in 1665 so hold your nose they

Blamed a parcel of silks sent from the Levant, amid the fug

Amulets and charms were in vogue not

Oximeters, wizards and fortune-tellers preferred to

Press conferences with boffins

Remedies like garlic tobacco and Venice treacle sold out for want of

Mouthwash and high dose vitamin C while

Handkerchiefs soaked in vinegar served as masks ...

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They'd seen each other on the

Tube, followed day after day by glances and

Hesitant smiles and he'd meant to

Make his move

Break the ice but then came

Lock-down.

Now he's mobile again, wondering if

She'll sense the smile beneath his mask

But there's no sign of her

Is she scared to emerge, furloughed or God forbid, sick?

Will he see her again?

Last night he watched T...

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Lock-down's the best thing that

Ever happened to me.

No more mad commutes or

Pen-pushing, watching the clock

Among people I hate.

Out of the

Mindless hurly-burly with its

Endless fugues of anxiety I'm free

To take stock and

Think about my life

The humdrum marriage

Malevolent in-laws

A defunct love-life

Three ungrateful kids

The money I squandered

A...

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Lock-down came at a bad time

We'd been daggers drawn for a while

Now we're in each others' pockets 24/7

I'd forgotten that you never smile

Careers kept us safely apart before

We were ships that passed in the night

Now I must endure you in the light of day

I must say its not a pretty sight

We try to keep out of each other's way

Coded messages signal the kitchen'...

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