"Afrilu shine watan mafi zalunci"
-TS Eliot, "The Wasteland"
Na yi mamakin inda mawaƙan suke, lokacin da kuma bayan zamanin Covid, waɗanda suka kalli, suka rayu, suka ji, kuma suka ba da labarin abin da ya faru. Abin baƙin ciki, wani kantin sayar da littattafai na Barnes & Noble ya ba da littafi, Zaɓuɓɓukan Ganuwa: Mawaƙa 113 Suna Amsa Waƙoƙin Taylor Swift', ƴan gajeruwar shekaru biyar bayan munanan asara, bacin rai, da ɓacin rai na kulle-kulle sun sauko a cikin bazara na 2020. Shiru da ƙwaƙƙwaran fasaha sun ba ni mamaki. Wataƙila zai ɗauki shekaru don faɗar gaskiya ta fasaha.
Amma a wannan watan na cika shekaru biyar na farkon wannan mummunan lokaci, na sami wani mawaƙi, mai dadi, zany troubadour a cikin Littafin No Further Store a tsohon sashe na cikin garin Roanoke, Virginia. Na sami Josh.
Littafin Josh Urban, Biranen kan tudu: keɓe watanni 21 tare da tsofaffi yayin COVID, an nuna shi sosai kusa da gaban kantin. A matsayinsa na mai yawan ziyartar shagunan sayar da littattafai, littafin Josh ya haskaka a matsayin abin maraba da maraba bayan ya nemi littattafai ko kasidu ko fasaha ta kowa, musamman matasa, don bincika abin da muka jimre. Na yi mamakin labarun waɗanda suka zaɓa tsakanin harbin da watakila suka ji tsoro ko karatun kwaleji, alal misali, kamar yadda kwalejoji da yawa suka ba da umarnin harbin Covid. Mutane da yawa sun rasa ayyukan yi da rayuwa lokacin da suka ƙi harbin da aka umarce su; za su rubuta game da abin da ya faru? Iyalai da al'ummomi sun karaya saboda tsoro. Shin fasaha za ta fito game da rugujewar tunani da ruhi daga rashin sanin makomar da za mu iya samu ko kuma daga abin da mutane da yawa ke jayayya ke murkushe cin zarafin masu mulki? Wadanne ma'anoni masu fasaha za su gina?
Josh Urban ya rubuta game da lokacin da ya gabatar da kansa ga tsofaffi yayin da ya zama darektan ayyuka na cikakken lokaci a cikin Maris 2020 a Statler House, gidan kula da tsofaffi da zai iya kasancewa a ko'ina cikin ƙasar, in ji shi. Ina tsammanin ya jingina kusa da mazauna, waɗanda suka tsorata kuma suna dushewa a gaban idanunsa.
An canza tantance bayanai da sunayen mazauna wurin don sirri, amma labarin gaskiya ne. Labarin "zai iya, kuma ya faru a ko'ina," in ji Josh (shafi na 7). Ya jagoranci kulob a Statler House kafin kulle-kullen Covid.
DJ, mai kunna guitar, tauraron taurari, kuma masanin falaki mai son, Josh ba zato ba tsammani ya rasa abin rayuwarsa a matsayin DJ lokacin da aka soke abubuwan da suka faru. Wata rana da yake Statler House don kulab ɗin da yake jagoranta, wani ma'aikacin gudanarwa ya tambaye shi ya zama darektan ayyuka. "Kida a cikin zauren, sihiri dabaru, wani abu?" mai gudanarwa ya ba da shawara. Bayan ya yi lissafin da sauri, Josh ya ɗauki aikin don biyan kuɗinsa. Sannan ya shiga cikin keɓantattun tsofaffi, wasu suna zamewa cikin hauka lokacin da aka soke duk wasu ayyuka da ziyarar dangi. Akwai ma’aikacin kwarangwal, da soja, da wani mazaunin da ya ci gaba da cire wando. Josh yana mamakin ko ya kai ga aikin.
"Ok, ina nan," ya rubuta. "Me za a iya yi don taimakawa, don rage jinkirin hauka, don shawo kan mu duka?" ya rubuta (shafi na 23).
“Martha ta dube ni kamar wannan gwara,” in ji gabatarwar. Ya kwatanta wata karamar mace, galibi kurma, lankwashewa mai farar gashi da murya mai girgiza. Ta tuna masa da wata gwauro da ya taimaka lokacin yana yaro. Ta gaya masa cewa ta yi mafarki cewa zai rubuta littafi game da zamansu tare. "Kada ka manta da mu, Josh, lafiya?" Ya ce ba zai yi ba idan ya rubuta littafin zai sadaukar da ita.
Layukan Josh suna haskakawa da sauƙi a cikin hanyoyin mafi kyawun shayari: "Wani wuri tsakanin kujera mai girgiza da lamiri na - akwai kuma. Tambayar ta shiga cikin murya mai ban tsoro yayin da nake zaune a madannai na. Wataƙila fatalwarta ce. Ko watakila kawai abin da ke daidai. Josh, za ku gaya musu? / Ee, zan, Martha)" (shafi na 6).
Lokacin da na ga taken littafin da jajayen murfinsa, na gaya wa mai kantin sayar da littattafai, Deloris Vest, cewa kuka na iya hana ni shiga ciki.
Ta ce, "Oh, za ku yi kuka." Mun yi musayar labaran Covid. Na ce mata na koyar da ‘yan aji shida a wancan lokacin, yara ‘yan shekara 11 suna Zoom yayin da wasu ke tsoro, a cikin rigar barci, su kadai a cikin dakunan kwanansu, a kan kwamfutar tafi-da-gidanka da gwamnati ta ba su. Na yi waƙara da rawa yadda zan iya don faranta musu rai. Ta gaya mani yadda ta koya wa jikanta, a makarantar kindergarten a lokacin, yin karatu ta amfani da littattafan Minecraft. Zoom school bata yi masa aiki ba. Kwanan nan, dole ne ta sanya wani dangi a gidan kula da tsofaffi. Bayan karanta labarin Josh, ta ce, kafin ta bar masoyinta a can, ta tabbatar da ta san inda tagogin suke, yadda za a yi amfani da su, kuma ta yi shirin bazuwar dangin idan wani abu kamar kullewa ya sake saukowa.
"Mai tsaurin ra'ayi (shafi na 94)," Josh ya kira kansa kafin lokacin Covid, ya rubuta, sa'an nan kuma, a tsakiyar kulle-kulle, yana karanta Littafi Mai-Tsarki da ƙarfi ga tsofaffi, wasu daga cikinsu suna zamewa cikin lalata ko hauka. Ya haɗu da Mista James, wanda ya karanta 23rd Zabura a cikin muryar dikon sa, kuma Josh ya karanta Linjilar Yohanna ga mazauna. Da yake ƙaulin Matta 5:14, Josh ya kira sababbin abokansa, “birane a kan tudu,” har da Sam; Koci, wanda ke ba da labarun Yaƙin Koriya; Ƙaramar Ms. Andrews, Leon, da Miss Golden. Kalmar Littafi Mai Tsarki ta ba wa littafinsa suna.
An buga shi a cikin 2023 ta 1A Press a Rustburg, Virginia, littafin bai daɗe ba, bai daɗe ba, tare da ƙaramin kanun labarai. Yana da cikakken farin sarari kamar littafin wakoki. Bayanin fage mai kaifi; tattaunawa mai ban sha'awa da halaye; kuma layukan da ke haskakawa suna sa batun ya zama mai jurewa da ƙwarewar karanta shi mai zurfi. Amfaninsa na halin yanzu yana ƙara gaggawa.
Ya sneaks Misis Burnside a waje a cikin keken guragu mai motsi don cin abincin rana tare da shi: "Sabbin iska na gaishe da fuskokinmu," ya rubuta (shafi na 118). Mrs. Burnside ta yi magana game da gonarta tun da dadewa, kuma ya gaya mata game da wani kunkuru mai kamawa, yana sa ƙwai a gonarsa ta gaba. Ya gina katanga kewaye da shi, don kada ƴaƴan ruwa su fita. Bayan cin abinci uku, ana kama su, kuma abincin rana ya daina.
Mazauna ana gwada PCR kowane mako. Gwaji mai inganci yana kulle bene, ko asymptomatic ne, alama, ko tabbataccen ƙarya. Ana gwada ma'aikata sau biyu a mako, kuma ingancin ma'aikatan sun kulle duk benaye. Lockdowns sun killace mazauna zuwa dakunansu. Idan mazauna sun gwada tabbatacce, ko yana tare da alamu, ba tare da, ko tabbataccen ƙarya ba, ana aika su zuwa sashin da ba a yi amfani da su ba, reshen keɓewa a cikin ginin, har tsawon makonni biyu, "tare da ma'aikacin jinya na lokaci-lokaci don haɗin ɗan adam" (shafi na 87).
Gidajen jinya, makarantu, gidajen yari, da mahaukatan mafaka na iya raba kamanceceniya a lokacin Covid. Shin ƙarin labaransu za su fito? A Statler House, ana kafa sabbin alamomi kuma ana ƙara su gaba ɗaya - Mutum biyu ne kawai a lokaci ɗaya akan Elevator, Ba a ba da izinin baƙi su yi amfani da dakunan wanka na jama'a (duk lokacin da aka ci gaba da ziyartan iyaka), Tabbatar cewa an kulle ƙofar a bayan ku; dokoki da matakai suna canzawa da alama ba bisa ka'ida ba, kuma masu tilastawa suna kallo da kiyaye tsari. Josh ya yi mamakin yadda mutane ba sa jefa faranti. Har ma ya ba wa wani sashe lakabi, “Akan Ba Jifar Faranti” (shafi na 19). Abin dariya, tausayi, da ɗan adamtaka Josh sun taimaka wa mai karatu ya ɗauki wannan labari.
Jadawalin lokaci daga farkon 2020 zuwa Disamba 2021 a cikin buɗewar littafin yana nuna mana a cikin wancan lokacin ban mamaki, mai ban tsoro, da murkushewa. Dokokin sun hana ziyarar iyali don Ista, Ranar 'Yanci, Halloween, Godiya, Kirsimeti, da Sabuwar Shekara. A ranar 1 ga Maris, 2021 an saita ziyarar tirela tare da ɗaki mai ɗaukar hoto a wurin ajiye motoci. A ranar 3 ga Maris, barkewar cutar ta sanya ziyarar tirela na tsawon kwanaki 14. A ranar 15 ga Mayu, 2021, gwamnan ya buɗe gidajen cin abinci ga cikakken iko, duk da haka gidajen kulawa ba su canza ba. Jadawalin ya ƙunshi mutuwar mazauna da yawa, ba daga Covid ba.
Wani jami'i ya gaya wa Sam, mazaunin, cewa bene yana "keɓe," kuma ba za su iya fita waje ba. "Oh, har zuwa yaushe?" ta tambaya Sam. "Makonni biyu, idan zagaye na gaba na gwaje-gwajen ya ƙare," in ji jami'in. "Tsohon ya sunkuyar da kansa. A cikin dakin bayansa, gicciye yana rataye a kan kwanon 'ya'yan itace. Yesu, ba tare da rufe fuska ba, ya dubi, ba wanda zai iya saduwa da kallonsa mai huda" (shafi na 110).
Gertie, wata ma’aikaciyar jinya mai ritaya, ta zauna tare da mijinta a sashin lalata har sai da ya mutu; sannan ta koma ta zauna a taimaka. Ta nuna wa Josh app a wayarta da ke bin matakanta kuma ta gaya masa cewa idan ta je abinci sau uku a rana da bingo, tana tafiyar mil guda. Yayin kulle-kulle, Josh ya ziyarce ta a dakinta. Yana buga mata kofa a rufe. "Na sanye da rigar keɓewa, bisa ga ƙa'idodin, hakan ya sa ya yi kyau in ziyarci," in ji shi (shafi na 81). Ta gaya masa cewa ta yi tafiyar mil jiya. "Ta yaya?! Ba sa barin mutane," ya tambaya. “Na yi cinya a dakina.”/Gertie, wannan kamar wasan motsa jiki ne. Dutsen,” ya rubuta (shafi na 82).
A kan baranda na Gidan Statler, Josh ya gina keken DJ kuma ya bar "Little Mrs. Beecher" ta gudanar da madauwari saw kuma yana fatan ba za a kai shi kara ba. Yana mirgina keken daga bene zuwa bene kuma ya sanya mazauna a bakin ƙofa don su ji kiɗa. Ciwon nasu ya daɗa daɗaɗawa da ware: “Joan ta ɗaga kai waje, keɓewar ita ma zai sa ta tsage. Wata rana ta gaya mini cewa ta saci mota. Kafin wannan ya ƙare, za ta kasance a ɗakin ajiyar ƙwaƙwalwar ajiya don ta kalli kwanakinta. Millie za ta shiga tare da ita, amma ba mu san hakan ba tukuna.” (shafi na 33).
Josh ya haɗu da kwatancin manufofin Covid tare da abubuwan tunawa da wakoki. Daga cikin keken DJ ɗinsa yana buga faifai: “Sau ɗari keken ya yi rugugi ya tsaya, sau ɗari Millie ta zauna a ƙofarta tana saurare, sau ɗari uku na tuna mata ta zauna a ɗakinta, sau hamsin ta tambayi dalilin.
Zero sau ta fahimta. . . Lokacin bazara yana kore bishiyoyi a wajen manyan tagogi masu nauyi. A ciki, Rayuwa ta daskare a wurin,” ya rubuta (shafi na 36-37).
Da yake bayyana sashen ciwon hauka, ya rubuta cewa, “Bayan ‘yan makonni, a bayyane yake cewa za a iya gyara wasu talbijin, wasu kuma za su yi magana da su, wasu kuma za a iya karanta wasu littattafai da kuma jin labarai.Hanyoyi dari na zama masu amfani sun haskaka, suna kyalli kamar fitillu. Ji ni Gani ni. Taimake ni. Na daidaita daidai. Makonni sun koma watanni. Ba a lanƙwasa lanƙwasa ba, amma ginshiƙan manufa sun motsa.” (shafi na 35).
Ya cika masu ciyar da tsuntsaye yana kwatanta ma'aikatan jinya, waɗanda suka fi shi ƙarfi, in ji shi. Temeka, alal misali, yana shan taba da dariya ta hanyar nicotine da gajiya. "A kan waɗannan layin gaba, ita 'yar bindiga ce, kuma ni ne ɗan ganga," in ji shi (shafi na 41). Ya gina ƙarin masu ciyar da tsuntsaye a cikin garejinsa na katako tare da girka su ga mazauna. Tsofaffi mata suna son sanin wane ne a wurin, “don haka na kai wurin yin parking [ja Kia] inda za su iya gani,” (shafi na 22).
Sashen ciwon hauka ana kiransa da ƙwaƙwalwar ajiyar zuciya. Ya rubuta, "Abin ban mamaki isassun fatalwowi 20 ba su da tasiri a kulle-kulle fiye da kowane bene. Kulawa da ƙwaƙwalwar ajiya koyaushe ana keɓe shi. Yana da amintaccen bene a mafi kyawun kwanaki. Matar da ta yi tunanin 1965 ce ba za ta goge abin rufe fuska ba," (shafi na 86). Waɗannan mazaunan ba za su iya fahimtar “nisantawar zamantakewa ba,” wanda, in ji shi, yana da ma’ana sosai a gare su kamar “lalacewar haɗin gwiwa” (shafi na 87). Suna kewar iyalansu, wanda hakan ke dagula musu rudani.
Josh ya nuna bacin ransa lokacin da aka kira shi don taimaka wa mutane uku su rike Mista Rich, wanda "ba ya son gwajin COVID" (shafi na 159). "Ya yi kururuwa, ba ya fahimta ta hanyar rashin lafiyarsa," in ji Josh. "Ku mutanen nan kuna cikinsa. Lokaci na gaba na ga abokaina..." Malam Rich yana cewa (shafi na 60).
Zane-zane akan bangon, da aka kwatanta da ƙwaƙƙwaran, suna samun ingantacciyar inganci a cikin keɓewa da shuru, suna tsawaita mako bayan mako. Sau da yawa ɗakin cin abinci babu kowa. Kalandar ayyukan ta kasance tana makale a cikin falon gida, kodayake duk ayyukan an soke su. Tsofaffi suna zaune a cikin dakunansu su kadai, kuma idan sun fita daga dakin, sai a raba su kafa shida, suna fuskantar alkibla daya. Josh yana jagorantar wasan bingo, yana ƙoƙari ya zama mai fara'a, yana buga guitar, yana buga rikodin, gami da Johnny Cash, Elvis, Patsy Cline, Fats Domino, da kuma wasan kide-kide na piano na Grieg don Ms. Abbey, mai son kiɗan gargajiya.
Lokacin da babu kiɗa, yana ɗaukar baƙar magana, shiru, wanda kusan za ku iya jin hasken rana mai baƙin ciki. A ƙarshen wannan labarin, lokacin da ya fara wasan bingo, wani koyan rashin taimako da yanke ƙauna ya shiga. Ya tambayi wani ma'aikaci: "Laurie, ina kowa da kowa? Lockdown ya ƙare a yanzu. Yana da lafiya a gare su su fito.
"Ina jin kamar yaron ruwa a Jahannama," in ji mahaifiyarsa lokacin da ya kira ta. "Me kuke kawowa mutanen da suke konewa?" Josh ya kawo musu sauraro da tunawa da labarunsu, kunna gita, zama tare da su don ziyara, suna ba da dariya. Ya kawo musu kida. Shaida.
Sa’ad da ya gane cewa ba a yi coci ba har tsawon shekara guda, ya gina giciye mai girman rai 3/4 a shagonsa na katako a gidansa, “tebur ya ga yana tofa shuɗi mai hayaƙi da allon sito” (shafi na 165), kuma ya sa giciye cikin ginin. Ma'aikata da mazauna sun girma sun yi amfani da halayensa.
Idan ina da ƙaunataccena a cikin gidan kulawa a lokacin kulle-kulle na zamanin Covid, kuma ba zan iya ba shi ko ita ba saboda kowane dalili, zan so wani kamar Josh a can tare da ƙaunatattuna.
Tare da kasidu na waƙa, wannan littafin ya ƙunshi waƙoƙin jeri, waɗanda aka tsara a cikin sashe mai suna, “Hallway Snapshots.” Ɗaya yana karanta, "Hallway Snapshot: Cheesus." Ya bayyana zuwa ƙarshen littafin:
Ruby yana da hanya
Na kira ni a kan
Zuwa teburin cin abincinta
Don haka ni ba ma’aikaci ba ne
Ita kuma ba tsohuwa bace
Wacce ta biya kudin dakinta da yawa.
Amma kaka cewa ita.
"An cece ku ɗan abu kaɗan."
Kuma ya zame min karin sandar mozzarella
A cikin jakar takarda
Kamar a sarari kamar zamaninmu
Kamar yadda talakawa kamar
Eucharist
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An buga aikin Christine E. Black a cikin Muryar Dissident, The American Spectator, The American Journal of Poetry, Nimrod International, The Virginia Journal of Education, Friends Journal, Sojourners Magazine, The Veteran, English Journal, Dappled Things, da sauran wallafe-wallafe. An zabi waƙarta don Kyautar Pushcart da Kyautar Pablo Neruda. Tana koyarwa a makarantar gwamnati, tana aiki tare da mijinta a gonarsu, kuma tana rubuta kasidu da labarai, waɗanda aka buga a cikin Adbusters Magazine, The Harrisonburg Citizen, The Stockman Grass Farmer, Off-Guardian, Cold Type, Global Research, The News Virginian, da sauran wallafe-wallafe.
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