by Nina Parmenter

After months of encouraging people to eat out, use public transport, go to the gym, return to offices, and send their children to school (or face a fine), UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that any future lockdown would be the fault of the public.

You, who downed a pint or five
to keep your favourite pub alive,
You, who rushed to KFC
to buy a bucket made for three
with coleslaw, like we told you to…
This is on you.

You, who packed the trains to flock
to some superfluous office block
and keep the city fatcats fed,
You, who joined a gym to shed
the blubber, like we told you to…
This is on you.

You, who sent your kids to schools—
a promised land for germs, you fools—
and all to dodge our little fines!
And you, who went and stood in lines
for testing, like we told you to…
This is on you.