Together we overcame
by Serena Goyal
There was a certain cleanse
Hands washed, surfaces wiped
Tears cleared, Laughter masked
We sterilized purpose: scrubbing and removing
We gave it whatever it needed
Whomever it needed
There was a certain uncertainty
A slow loom that festered and grew
It took control: conquering and spreading
We felt at mercy to its reign
We gave it whatever it wanted
Whomever it wanted
In the depths of the fight brew courage
Healthcare workers donning PPE to save
To protect, To rescue, To fight
To find a vaccine; To restore normalcy
We gave it whatever we had left
Whomever we had left
Still, there was loneliness
Six feet to prevent, two weeks to contain
But, resilience engendered amidst isolation
Strength to march forward became infectious
We no longer gave it anything
Instead, we reclaimed what was ours
In the darkest times we reflect
We honor those who worked front-line
And remember those whom we lost
We find light in who is to come
For they are born into bravery
Instilled with fearlessness
We restored, we remained
Shaped by perseverance; Built through healing
We recovered, we regained
There was a certain unity
Together, we overcame
Serena Goyal is an honors undergraduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University in the highly competitive 8-year Guaranteed Admissions Program for Medicine BS/MD program. She will be graduating college early with a perfect 4.0 GPA prior to matriculating to medical school. Serena has a deep passion for creative writing and currently serves as editor-in-chief for her university’s women’s magazine. Serena is a Gold Award Girl Scout who is a very active member of her local, national, and global communities. She hopes to continue blending her love for science with her interest in literature to best help those in need.
