Five years on
(Five Years Gone)
I stop by The Unit
My first time since the pandemic
It seems so bright
In its new light
When we were here it seemed
Always Night
Everyone moves and breathes
So Free
But not me
I pause and remember
I recall the dark
Low oxygen alarms and call lights
Tinder and spark
The forever low rumble of
Air handlers and negative pressure
We fought a battle here
Each day despite our fear
We made our Stand
Together with the sick
In times thin and thick
We called your families
When they couldn’t come
I whispered to people in comas
“Fight hard, they need you back home”
We cried over those who died
We hugged and rang bells for
Those that survived.
In this now non-descript hall
Fresh paint can’t cover all the pain
But we still remember all the same
Together, we fought death
Together we learned to once again
Find Our Breath
