Year of the Mask

At last you've been laid to rest, twenty~twenty A plague on mankind with tragedies aplenty Since February, you've given up total control abandoning us as a wicked germ took its toll You'll be remembered as the horrendous year that filled the world with grievances and fear Many nations locked down in a strangle hold Their leaders, blunderers; usless as fool's gold Labeled covid a 'hoax' as it raged as systemic and you, 2020, were accursed by a pandemic But it was not the only flaw that branded you Summer was tainted by men dressed in blue Brother dueled against brother, black vs. white Angry protesters ignited cities ablaze at night "Black lives matter!" Too much police brutality America became a war zone of hostile mentality For months on your calendar, bitterness raged On and on great masses clashed. Battles waged Maybe it's unfair to rant against you in this way You're inanimate, not at fault, some would say History will refer to you as the bearer of blame Without a voice, the travesties you can't disclaim You were the year of storms and too much death Of masked faces, afraid of drawing a deep breath ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Posted on January 1, 2021 for Mohan Chutani's 2020 to 2021 Contest. We've laid 2020 to rest