pieces of dying ember
flicker upwards, punctuating
the cold air of evening
the crackle of a fading fire
mingling with distant sounds
the static of radios and sirens
coming closer and closer
the noise all around us
trying to drown out the
still small whisper of
hope that pushes back
no matter how many times
it has been beaten down
I think back to those summer days
when fireflies would float across
the barren yard,
small vessels carrying sparks of life
like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden
no matter how dark the night
fragments glowing
smoke rising
my weary eyes clinging onto
what remains
long after the light goes out
These days, the sun sets before I get home from work. After a busy day at clinic or at the hospital, I look out the window, only to find darkness on my ride home. These days, we also feel the darkness of the ongoing pandemic. An exponentially rising number of cases. An overwhelmed hospital system. An overburdened and weary staff. What will tomorrow bring?
This poem was inspired by the perseverance I see in my coworkers and colleagues, among the attendings and nurses, throughout hospital staff and program leaders. They get up day in, day out, return to work and march on. Like the last embers of a fading fire, it may feel like the light is going out. But I know that each of us carries light, and collectively, we burn brighter against the darkness together. When I see the Yale crest on the jackets of my fellow hard-working residents, I am reminded of its motto: lux et veritas. There is still light and truth.
Recently on MLK Jr day, I was reminded of a quote that Dr. King had said. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” We will continue to fight for our patients, for our communities, for ourselves and for our loved ones. We have hope. We have light. We have each other. There will continue to be challenges and hardships…but there will also be victories, with every step we take together. If there is even just one glowing ember remaining, even the darkest of nights is never too dark. Even the darkest of nights cannot and will not remain forever.