We created this poem by listing advice we were hearing about what to do during lockdown and then shifting the verbs and nouns to reveal some whimsical suggestions. Readers could try this activity themselves, or just enjoy this as a poem.

Stay
      something new.

Learn
      your records.

Dust off
      your grandma.

Call
      the birds.

Feed
      outside.

Play
      every day.

Walk
      a tree.

Hug
      a dog.

Adopt
      a garden.

Grow
      yourself.

Be kind to
      worries.

Dance away
      your kids.

Reassure
      the internet.

Get off
      your neighbours.

Check on
      your ancestors.

Remember
      a worker.

Thank
      a book.

Read
      a picture.

Paint
      your mask.

Wear
      trolls.

Ignore
      expectations.

Let go of
      home.

Norah von Bieberstein is a 10-year-old who enjoys musical theatre, visual art, and playing balloon volleyball. Ziysah von Bieberstein is a parent who enjoys playing with words, cultivating community, and sleeping in. They live in Nogojiwanong (Peterborough, Ontario).

Endangered Species Series

Northern Goshawk,” Isaac Wylie-Fahey, 10 Northern goshawks are described as both “reckless” and “fearless;” they pursue prey through nearly any conditions.