Two boys ready to go see the grandparents

who have waited so long to see them

the boys were going to stay the weekend

but what happened

one gets the sniffles

one gets sore throat

both feel out of sorts

so in an abundance of caution

the mom pulls them out of school

to see what might develop

what symptoms will ensue

in these days you can never be too safe

the mom says

but the grandparents are shaken

this was their last chance

to see the boys before Christmas

the tree was up

decorations hung

and everywhere was the joy

of twinkling Christmas lights

the feel of Christmas was in the air

now all the preparation was in vain

the boys would not be coming

this was the grandparents last chance

the boys would be out of town

for the actual Christmas

far away and out of sight

so there would be no true Christmas

for the disappointed grandparents

the boys would not be coming after all

replaced by a remote call

substituted by a screen you cannot hug

because danger lurks

in the very air we breathe

this is how we live our lives now

so terrified we cannot be ourselves

we are paralyzed

must tiptoe around people

including our own kin

the simple joys of life are gone

the family disrupted

distance has replaced closeness

all for the sake of a Virus

and all for an Abundance of Caution.