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My Mother Is A Hero: Courage in the Time of Corona

Smile every day she does
As she rises
In the time of Corona,
Her presence at the store
More essential than ever.

People are swarming
“Panic buying” they call it
She comes home every day
Recounting the next crazy occurrence
That has happened: no toilet paper
All the hand sanitizers are gone.
Masks,
People come in masks,
Afraid to feel the breath of one another.

“But Mother,” I want to ask,
“Aren’t you afraid?” Her autoimmune disorder
Is no small thing;
I remember growing up,
being afraid
She might not be there
One day.

She throws her head back,
laughs,
saying,
“I take so many pills anyways,
Probably the same stuff they’d recommend for Corona!”

I shake my head in wonder. Does she know,
She is a hero?
Going into the battle zone, every day?
She’s the soldier, she always dreamed of being.
On the front lines
Serving those who need her.

She and thousands of people, providing essential, critical services
To those of us in hiding
In this time of Corona.

I used to wonder
where I get my courage
And today I realize
It’s my mother.

March 23, 2020