The largest state in America is empty
Its vast expanses housing only animals
No people on the streets of Juno or Nome
The port city of Anchorage is quiet
In the past an epidemic in Alaska brought out heroes
People risking their lives to save innocent children
Pulling together across a vast wilderness, fighting weather
It was a time of heroes, remembered through endurance
But not in this Alaska, not here, not now
Now people scream about liberty and rights
Freedom to not breathe through cotton masks
To cough, hack, and spit on those who confront them
Another state’s worth of people have passes
Families are mourning for the living and the dead
The recovered bear lifelong effects of their struggle
Missing fingers or hands, damaged bodies forever
How much longer will this go on, will we suffer
Have we reached the point where we are so overwhelmed
That we can no longer take in the horrible news
Has life with Covid become the new normal
Is this the future of our America, Covid forever
Random border closings when a new variant emerges
ICUs overflowing, schools closed in sequence
And the lights have gone out in Alaska
(Meet Mago Contributor) Francesca Tronetti, Ph.D.