Back Then (The Quiet Year)

Woke up to silence on the street,

No cars, no kids, no steady beat.

The world just paused like a held breath,

Afraid to move, afraid of death.

I baked bread just to pass the time,

Learned how to fake a smile online.

Told my friends I was doing fine...

But some nights I cried in quiet light.

We all said, “It won’t be long,”

But the days kept dragging on...

Back then, when the air felt still,

And the news kept coming, colder still.

When hugs were risk, and love was fear,

And time felt like it disappeared.

We wore masks, but not just on our face—

We hid the things we couldn’t say.

Yeah, we were all just trying to pretend...

Back then.

My mom left groceries by the door,

Waved through the glass like a war.

Birthdays came and birthdays went,

We sang through screens and made the best.

The hallway walls knew all my thoughts,

The highs, the lows, the battles fought.

I missed the noise I used to hate—

Even traffic felt like fate.

We said “we’re fine,” with shaky laughs,

But we were breaking in a thousand halves...

Back then, when the world slowed down,

And silence took over the sound.

When strangers felt like something near,

And normal was just a souvenir.

We stayed home, just to save a life—

Called love brave, and fear polite.

We lost so much we couldn’t defend...

Back then.

But in the quiet, we found truth,

In little joys and rooftop views.

We learned that strength was being still—

And healing starts when you will.

Back then, we were torn, but kind,

Falling apart, yet intertwined.

We lost the world, but found a friend,

In someone who just hit “send.”

And maybe we’ll never be the same...

But we remember all the names,

Of who we were and who we’ve been...

Back then.