Valiantly Vaccinated: A Poem

In this poem, I capture my experience getting the COVID-19 vaccine in Dubai... 

At 8am I was standing in a queue

There to take the vaccine, hey have you?

“Don’t be scared & get it!”, they say

“Not worth waiting to get the flu!”

So with everyone I stood at that hour

Nationality, color, age and job no bar

Grocery workers, delivery drivers,

Restaurant servers, business owners

Men in suits, women in boots...

Guards whispering, as if in cahoots!

Patiently waiting, no throwing a fit,

Some even making a picnic of it.

Then we see nurses in blue arrive

In tow are the vaccines, we feel alive

300 to administer in today’s drive.

How’ll it be when I get the needle?

In the left arm...for it may go feeble

Any side effects if my body reacts?

Stop overthinking, focus on facts

An official said when he saw my ID:

“Step aside”. Did I look shady?

I joined three men who hadn’t a clue!

“Why’re we here out of the blue?”

Let’s not ask, I agreed with the guys

As they took us past glancing eyes

So turns out we jumped the queue..

Joined a “priority line” with seats, phew!

A lady handed us a consent form

“Vaccines may cause side effects”

I understood and signed as per norm

They called the waiting crowd slowly

5 people they picked randomly

I thought when would it be my turn

I didn’t eat, hear my stomach churn?

One...two...three hours gone.

The waiting was too much to borne.

Yes, I was also controlling my pee,

Why risk going, lest I lose my seat,

I got up for it was getting unbearable,

Saved my spot, the guard agreeable!

Back from the loo, I saw unhappily...

Those with me had gone in finally.

Dejected, I sat back on my seat,

One more hour to gape at my feet.

No phone to use, the battery’s done!

Where’s a book when you need one?

Reserves of patience running low,

Initial excitement was no more.

Four and a half hours later...

When they called five more,

Fifth I was, so I made it to the fore!

And into a passage we disappeared,

Like countless others before us did.

After more waiting in another space,

End in sight, a smile on my face!

“Have allergies? Take medication?”

“No” I told the nurse, sans hesitation.

“Can a male nurse vaccinate you?”

“Sure, I don’t mind”, I told the official

If I had to wait any more, I’d cry for real!

Man, woman, whoever gives me the jab,

The vaccines come from the same lab.

A prick in the arm, I felt the liquid

I sensed relief, a burden lifted

“Take your second shot in 21 days”

At that, I felt myself go into a haze

The thought that more waiting awaits

Replaced by the pride in me it creates

“You’re Dubai’s first 2 million vaccinated”

With that I leave feeling valiant and elated!