The Town That Cured Loneliness by Ross Thompson, written in Bangor during 2020 Lockdown
A modern curse,
a deep-seated disease,
a killer as insidious
as cirrhosis
or crippling debt
or drinking alone,
anchored in a human need
for the comfort
and warmth
of skin brushing skin
nearly destroyed a town of goodly folk
hiding behind
closed doors,
drawn curtains
and raised fences,
defending their property
with a moat of indifference,
a portcullis of ignorance,
a trebuchet of inwardness
until one brave soldier besieged and broke down
these ramparts and battlements
with the simple mantra:
be kind, be kind and above all else, be kind.