Take Heart

Take heart from a hummingbird, a handful 

of earth. See how memory bears fruit,

to carry history, healing, offspring.

Listen for sounds gently rising above

the hum and din, the prayers of one so far 

from home and kin. Say you remembered

to put out feeders, withhold water 

from inflorescent tomcat clovers. 

Say you are here in lieu of flowers. 

What did you lose the year of our 

sheltering. Whom do you honor with 

the hope you bring. Take heart, listen, sounds

of kindness are bouncing off hard surfaces.

Praise bedside care and all its auspices. 

This poem was originally commissioned by San Mateo County Health as part of the 2022 Commemoration Events for the county’s healthcare workers and those we lost to COVID-19.