Came across this poem written in 1869, reprinted during 1919 Pandemic.

[onecaliberal]

It was written in 1869 by Kathleen O’Mara:

And people stayed at home
And read books
And listened
And they rested
And did exercises
And made art and played
And learned new ways of being
And stopped and listened
More deeply
Someone meditated, someone prayed
Someone met their shadow
And people began to think differently
And people healed.
And in the absence of people who
Lived in ignorant ways
Dangerous, meaningless and heartless,
The earth also began to heal
And when the danger ended and
People found themselves
They grieved for the dead
And made new choices
And dreamed of new visions
And created new ways of living
And completely healed the earth
Just as they were healed.

Reprinted during Spanish flu
Pandemic, 1919

[JenniferJuniper]

1. I thought this sounded very modern,

so I looked up the author. She goes by Kitty O'Mara and lives in Madison, Wisconsin. She's a retired teacher and wrote this in response to the news of the current pandemic.

https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a31747557/and-the-people-stayed-home-poem-kitty-omeara-interview/

[MoonchildCA]

2. Yes, it didn't sound very 1869, or 1919.

[theophilus]

3. This is the weirdest thing. If you look into it you

find reference to a writer in the 19th century as well. Which is it?

It really does not sound modern to me because there is no mention of social media, etc. Also, the events sound past tense. I realize that someone might look forward with hope but we ain't seen nothing yet.

I hope someone can do definitive research to determine when this was written. Why make up the fact that it was written in 1869 and then used during the Spanish flu pandemic?

Having said all of that, the poem is really, really good.

Strange contradictions.