Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Weekly Scribblings #9: Contagion

If you have access to any kind of news, I’m almost sure that the word “contagion” doesn’t fill your heart with the warmest of feelings. I mean, what’s warm about cruise ships being denied entry to ports because of fear of coronavirus infection, or about schools and hospitals having to close because of similar reasons? And let’s not even start talking about the economy because there might be screaming and hair pulling and worse.

It seems that the idea of contagion has a direct connection to our panic button. And I think that’s a good thing in our current situation. A healthy dose of fear might keep us cautious enough to be mindful of simple behaviors, which go a long way towards prevention—handwashing, avoiding crowded areas if we can, and figuring out the proper ways to contact our local infectious disease centers (instead of taking the virus to a crowded hospital) if we feel the symptoms.

You know what else can keep a mind from losing itself in a time of crisis? Creativity, and community, and ink-infused hope. So, dearest poets and storytellers, for our 9th Weekly Scribblings, I invite us to write new poetry or prose inspired by the idea of “Contagion”—social contagion, or metaphorical contagion, or biological contagion... Let your words spread positivity, or caution, or whatever you prefer... the choice is yours. If you go for prose, your entry should be 369 words or fewer.

Please feed the direct link to your contribution to Mr. Linky. He will stay hungry for contagion-inspired prose and poetry until next Wednesday. After you link your offer, do visit other word lovers (community—especially a healthy one—can’t exist, if we don’t commune with each other).

Let us be kind. Stay safe. And be the better kind of human.


23 comments:

  1. Many thanks, Magaly, for a very inspirational prompt – topical, yet with a lot of room for interpretation

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    1. You are most welcome, Rosemary. I hope this day is being good to you.

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  2. my poem is very personal, so I wrote it in the third person in an attempt to ward off the anxiety. I'm not sure if it worked.

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    1. Kim, I completely understand trying to find some distance when the topic is one so devastating. Now I'm extra-intrigued. And I'm really looking forward to reading your poem.

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    2. I just finished reading your poem, and I think it worked perfectly.

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  3. I added to Faoin Scáth this morning, something that is too close to many of us. Having this second place to share gives a chance for these thoughts that don't fit the farm.
    Thank you, Magaly, for this prompt. With a long day ahead, I'll be back later to read from our community. Cheers.

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    1. Joel, I think that one of the best gifts we get from a community like this one is the opportunity to touch topics we might not have chosen if playing on our own. I am glad this is working for you.

      Enjoy your day!

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    2. I intend for Sunday's entry to be back on the positive side.

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  4. At first I thought this would be a hard prompt to write for. But after finding definitions for the, my Muse landed on Social Contageon, sure an affair that became contagious quickly. She then said, "this fits exactly, you should write of the great American college panty raids of the 1950's."
    Since I had witnessed one at the University of Nebraska, I decided to record what I saw.
    Theee items we miss finding in our modern days suspicions:
    1) they were acceptable as 'pranks' by fun seeking college students (note google as well);
    2) there were quite a few college girls also participating, remember this started when the pep rally dismissed.
    Perfect social contagion that was fueled by high levels of anonymity
    and suggestibility; and
    3) I didn't notice nor did I hear of any girls being mistreated. Boys hear things.
    And in a smaller city, a college town and state capital, this was a big deal but not one out of the ordinary considering.
    ..

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    1. I get that it was considered a harmless prank, no-one was mistreated and it was a product of the times. That's my point, really. Attitudes have changed. Now we can't help but see it through a greater understanding of the underlying assumptions involved. I know you, Jim, through your poetry – all of it, not just one piece – and do not suspect you personally of disrespecting women. Far from it! But I (and evidently others also) still feel like taking issue with those old assumptions which this poem points to.
      (I did think of signing my response 'Humourless Feminist'– but I decided that making a joke of my response would be a sort of belittling of it, and of all such responses, when sometimes seriousness is appropriate)

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    2. Yes, good Rosemary. It isn't a thing to joke about. I respect women more than I can show. Lack of respect, even when it was vogue cannot really be forgiven even though way too many have been, one very prominent, allowed to have been set aside as locker room talk. I don't believe in reincarnations but if I am I have my request to be a lady next time,
      ..

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    3. Jim, some things will never feel quite right for some of us, even if they were accepted in their time. History is full of those things. It was nothing against your poem--like Rosemary pointed out, we know you better than that.

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  5. A very up in your face prompt, we cannot help but write write and write
    Happy Wednesday to all. Thanks for today's prompt Magaly

    much love...

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    1. "write write and write" is a good place to be.

      Happy Wednesday to you, too, Gillena.

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  6. I've been trying to not feed any worry from this to my current writings, so thanks for an outlet. :-)

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  7. At Kim's post we got into a discussion of coronavirus and it was mentioed that some Governments have not been informative about symptoms and prevention. In this case the Australian Govt is doing a good job, so let me refer you to this link: https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov
    Also there was a thorough discussion on TV last night and I learned that yes, hand washing is important, and that soap is best as it removes a fatty layer on the skin surface which might harbour bacteria, but hand sanitiser is also good.

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    1. Our local government has been very good, too, about providing information--I've been getting emails about preventing behavior for quite some time now. And the news haven't been shy about it, either. But for some reason--and this is what worries me--most people don't seem to feel like something serious is happening. People are very strange creatures.

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    2. I really like the image you shared, Magaly.

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    3. @Revived Writer, I am very glad you do.

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    4. @Magaly, it is the opposite in Australia – people are terrified out of all proportion.

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  8. Hello Magaly- An American Sentence! I hope everyone is happy and well.

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Please be respectful of all the people on this site, as each individual writer is entitled to their own opinion, style, and path to creativity.