Steeton dad turns lockdown poet with The Summer That Never Happened

Daniel Kennedy wrote his lockdown poem - The Summer That Never Happened - over a couple of weeks, and said it was far more difficult to write than any of the press releases and technical articles he writes in his day job as a director for Leeds public relations and social media agency, Source Marketing.

"I got the idea while walking the dog, and scribbled a few things down when I got home," he said.

"I then kept on coming back to it every now and again; adding lines and verses; changing words; swapping commons for semi-colons, full-stops for hyphens; and then swapping everything back again.

"It really is a very frustrating process, but I'm really pleased with the end result and even more so with the reaction from friends, relatives and neighbours who've either read it or watched the YouTube video."

The video's been viewed all over the world, with people sharing it in Australia and the USA, while a lot of Daniel's schoolfriends from his years growing up in the Outer Hebrides have also taken the time to listen and comment on it.

"My wife said it captured her feelings about coronavirus and lockdown perfectly, and I really hope others will feel the same," he said.

Daniel can be seen performing his poem at: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdjCLo4Rr1Q&feature=youtu.be

The Summer That Never Happened.

The cricket stumps stood waiting,

The sun shone in the sky,

But on pitches round the country,

Not one person was heard to cry

“Howzat!” screamed the bowler,

“Dead plumb!” cheered his mates,

But looking for the umpire,

We soon recalled our fate.

This was the summer that never happened,

The one we all stayed home,

And sat and learned to yearn,

For the simple right to roam.

Pubs and clubs shut their doors,

Zoom became the new night out.

The only sport left to play,

Was harangue the lockdown flout.

Two walks a day? A BBQ?

Set curtains all a quiver,

While bad news from around the globe

Made tears flow like a river.

This was the summer that never happened,

The one we all stayed home,

Asking in horror every day,

Have the numbers dying grown?

We talked of masks and PPE,

And daily PM briefings,

Of Nightingales, and Captain Tom,

And wild conspiracy theories.

We put rainbows in windows,

We clapped at our doors,

And looked round in wonder

As the world hit pause.

This was the summer that never happened,

The one we all stayed home,

The one we thought we’d never forget,

Even after the years had flown.

But how will we remember?

And what lessons will we learn?

When the threat finally abates,

And normal life returns.

Less we forget should be the phrase,

That sits with us until our grave.

Connections made, friendships saved,

Loved ones lost, the oh so brave

Doctors and nurses who stood firm and tall,

And risked their lives to save us all.

The children who waved goodbye to friends,

Whose schooldays finished without an end.

The working from home, the furloughed masses,

Kitchen tables hosting weeks of classes.

The old and at risk locked indoors,

The fighting for loo rolls in grocery stores.

Time together, moments savoured,

Going an extra mile to help our neighbours.

That was the summer that never happened.

The one we all stayed home.

The one we will never forget,

Even after the years have flown