It’s not noon
The cocktail glasses
On the side, Emerald cut
In Art-deco smile

Maraschino liqueur poised with lemon,
freshly squeezed and tarte
When in isolation,
Choose the sour art

There’ll be no call for day drinking
When New Year comes to pass
No corpse-reviver gimlets
Before home schooling starts

This unholy onslaught
That we founded in our flesh
Will cease to be the viscous egg whites
Of our work and rest

No Campari, vermouth
Combinations over ice
No variations based on gin
To numb the zoom meets dialling in

Time it slows and gleams
Champagne saucer dipped in gold
This hypnagogic lockdown
Daily rituals dashed in measures
Too potent to uphold



Lauren is a poet and teacher of English Literature in Hertfordshire. Originally of Welsh heritage Lauren studied at Swansea university followed by Warwick university. Some of Lauren’s poetry can be found @thoughtsofmanythings (Instagram) and she tweets occasionally @laurenmywrites She’s also about to be published in The Crank literary magazine.