Essential

For those who take our midnight calls who cry
who seek our voice in the dark who imagine
who create who connect who listen who swab
who run back into the fire for us who poke
through rubble who turn off the lights in the lab
Let us pray
For those who scan and stack who make us laugh
who look into our eyes who make us forget
who feed us who bleed and breathe for us
who tell our stories for us who take us
to breast who sing to us who purr and slow blink
who wag and bark for us when we open the door
who say here take mine for I have enough
who give us the dignity of work when there is
none
who give us reason to get up
who remind us of when
who remind us
Let us rise

and take
3
steps
back

Poem published on wine cellar press in the Defense of Democracy issue, June 2022