Group effort leads to coronavirus poem

By Jose Negron

jnegron@yourmvi.com

Beth Anne Luciani lives with a non-verbal form of cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder of movement, muscle tone and posture.

While she may not be able to speak, Luciani still has a way with words. 

“Since I have cerebral palsy, writing has always been an outlet for me,” Luciani, 40, a lifelong Monessen resident and 2011 California University of Pennsylvania graduate, said via email. 

“I have written about 50 poems and some short stories. I have also written articles that have been published in newspapers and magazines.” 

Luciani’s passion for writing began at a young age when she attended The Day School at The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. It was there that Luciani said her computer teacher realized just how intelligent she is.

“As a form of learning, she had me write poetry,” wrote Luciani, who attended The Day School for 16 years before getting a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Cal U. “It came very easily to me. 

“I think poetry is so special because I can express my words and feelings in a condensed way. When I write a poem, the words just flow out of me; it is natural. Writing poetry is my passion. I love it, and I feel it brings out my talent.” 

One of Luciani’s strongest supporters is her mother, Susan Luciani, who has always considered herself to be her daughter’s biggest fan. 

“She is a poet at heart and really enjoys this type of writing. She will write it and rewrite it until she has it exactly right,” Susan Luciani said. “She has written numerous poems and creative writings throughout her life. Of course, a lot of these were for college assignments, but I feel they are very good also. 

“She writes about her experiences in life, the people she knows and loves, and her beloved dogs, one of whom died this January. I am so proud of her and only wish she would explore her talent more.”

Beth Anne Luciani’s latest work is more of a collaborative effort than she has done in the past. With cerebral palsy, the threat of COVID-19 makes it impossible for Luciani to leave the house because she is susceptible to the virus. 

But she still wanted to somehow contribute in some way during these unprecedented times. 

That’s where her love of poetry came in handy. 

Luciani said she also loves music and recently watched one of her favorite singers, Vanessa Carlton, perform a show live from her home. 

Watching the performance, Luciani thought, “What can I do to contribute?” 

“Unfortunately, we are living through a piece of history right now,” Luciani said. “I knew I had to do something, and the obvious answer was write. I knew it had to be a poem because that is my specialty.” 

Luciani didn’t want to write her poem alone, though. 

Understanding the nation is uniting during these difficult times, she got the idea to email 10 people and ask them to describe the coronavirus pandemic in one word. 

She said she emailed 10 people and received 13 answers as most of her friends asked family members to submit a word, too. 

From there, Luciani took the 13 words she received and incorporated them into a poem titled “Silenced Freedom.” 

“It was really nice to have my family and friends participate in this project with me,” she said. “Even though I was the one who wrote the poem, I wanted it to be a collaboration.” 

Luciani wants her poem to share a message of unity. 

And even through these times of uncertainty, she wants to show the importance of standing together as a nation. 

“We have never had anything like this in our lifetimes,” she said. “It might be stopping us now, but we will get through this stronger than before.” 

Silenced Freedom

In a country 

Where freedom rings, 

The bells are silenced, 

No noise can be heard.  

Life has stopped;  

Overwhelming fear has begun.  

Anxiety has become constant, 

As we don’t know what each day will bring.  

A pandemic of uncertainty is crossing our land.  

A virus that started in another country, 

Spreading around the world, 

Has been disruptive on our nation.  

A war without guns or bombs, 

People are fighting for their lives.  

Many have lost the fight, 

While more are suffering.  

Quarantined in our homes, 

Not able to live freely, 

We feel an uneasiness 

About our future.  

Sensationalism has been boosted, 

Not knowing what to believe.  

We read, hear, and see

News of questionable truths.  

As we make preparations for the worst, 

Pandemonium has taken over.  

The situation has become serious, 

But we know our faith will help us overcome.  

Our country stands together, 

United like never before.  

We are all equal during this time, 

Grasping the essence of life.