Defunct hands turn
On a now timeless clock
Time is delineated by the sun
It rises and falls
As in unison we wake up
Walk into a makeshift office
Plug ourselves in
And type the day away

We form queues
Neat, ordered
As chaos ensues around us
Numbers inflate
Daily briefings do little
They do not dissipate
The continual dread

The new office love
Whose flame has now been smothered
Looks and glances
The brush of hand against hand
Is lost in translation
In a zoom conference
Secret whispers and comments
Fall flat as the video buffers

Tentative friendships
Founded on working hours
And break times
Become solidified in crisis
Infrequent exchanges
Polite hellos and goodbyes
Become hour long phone calls
And group chats on WhatsApp

Old friendships grow
Stronger than ever
As milestones are observed from a distance
Quizzes replace partying
Talking becomes the celebration
Doorstep drop offs
Window waves
Are the new normal
And we feel closer than ever