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How Do I Use Thee, Mask?

A pandemic parody of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 43 "How do I love thee?"

By Eileen DavisPublished 3 years ago 1 min read
How Do I Use Thee, Mask?
Photo by Jasmin Chew on Unsplash

How do I use thee? Let me count the ways.

I use thee to the depth and breadth and height

My face can reach, when breathing out of sight

When I cannot maintain a six-foot space.

I use thee to the level of every day's

Most germy need, by sun and moonlit night.

I use thee freely, as men strive to fight;

I use thee purely, as eyeglasses haze.

I use thee with the passion put to use

In my relief, and with my doctor's faith.

I use thee with a zeal I seemed to lose

With my last fears. I use thee with the breath,

Coughs, sneezes of all my life; and, if law choose,

I shall use thee even after death.

My Sleeping Mask (Photo by Author)

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This parody has previously been posted on my personal blog and Medium account. For Browning's poem, click here.

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About the Creator

Eileen Davis

Writer. Blogger. Poet. Avid reader. Boy mom. Have bipolar 2. Experience bisexual attraction. News Junkie. Love America. Love China. English language BA from BYU. Follow me on X, Facebook, Medium, or my blog.

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    Eileen DavisWritten by Eileen Davis

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