Quarantine Reflections: Talkative Tina, A Poem by Gayatri R. Shah
TALKATIVE TINA
It had been a trying day for Talkative Tina
After downing quite a few tequilas
She had Zoomed and Skyped and House Partied for hours
Now her throat was hoarse, her mood sour
You see multiple issues were causing her stress
As far as she was concerned life was a mess
For one, the hairdresser couldn’t come in these days of lockdown
Which meant the honey brown blonde cresses were receding from her crown
Shopping for clothes and shoes had all but stopped
Since Gucci and Jimmy Choo deliveries were blocked
Her building society’s Covid-19 Committee
Had decided that receiving such packages was just way too risky
When she asked them why heels and dresses weren’t in the essential items list
They appeared surprisingly miffed
“Ms Tina please understand there is a crisis going on” they explained
Thinking that this reasoning may compel some restraint
But Talkative Tina couldn’t put herself in their BATA shoes
She was least fussed about the news
Nowadays she had bigger issues to worry about
Her fabulous life couldn’t be captured on her Instagram account
She missed those gazillion friends she met just for photos
In the old days they would line up together, their arms on their torsos
She missed those carefree days of party hopping,
Her nails done, her clothes tight, ready for people spotting
Nowadays she had just her mobile to roam
And a husband to avoid in their gigantic home
Some pesky children to dodge and live-in staff to trouble
These days of self-isolation really were such a struggle
Even with five daily Quarantinis it was all such a drag
She has no way to debut her new Chanel handbag
This Coronavirus was hardship personified
For someone used to being a social butterfly
And to make matters worse her curves were disappearing
Because she was snacking on junk food and overeating
Indeed, hardship was the life of Talkative Tina
For it took a global pandemic to domesticate this diva