SABAH CARRIM
In twenty-twenty, when I was a baby
terror struck home—Mummy
drowned me in hand sanitisers, and
wrapped me in antibacterial wipes
and held on to me really very tight
apparently there was a virus from China
so when aunty from abroad visited,
Mummy said I was prohibited
from playing with the gifts
eating the chocolates
and saying hello, welcome
(because she had come from the airport)
when daddy went to greet aunty
downstairs, Mummy ordered him to
carry tissues, and a whole packet of
wet wipes, so that after he air-kissed her
and said hello, welcome
he could walk away, and disinfect himself
then when aunty wanted to send
something else, Mummy asked our driver
to collect it from her, because—well, because
he was only a driver
in twenty-twenty, when I was a baby
and terror struck home, because
of an epidemic
I don’t know why Mummy didn’t stop daddy
(who went to work everyday)
from coming back home