Stay at home. Save lives.

Have you a safe home?

What about the woman

who fell onto a closed fist?

What about the boy

who cries himself to sleep as

his parents hurl wine soaked abuse?

Staying in saves lives.

Have you someone to talk to?

We need to listen to unsaid words –

Long silences before ‘I’m fine.’

As much as we need to isolate

We also need to reach out

By phone, by text, by gut feeling.

Stay at home. Save lives.

But also stay awake. Stay open-hearted.

Your heartbeat is the sound of a million

loved ones gasping for air, and a million

silent screams waiting to exhale.

Collette O’Mahony April 2020