Woman's Poem Is Inspiring Millions During This Coronavirus Pandemic

March 19, 2020

A poem by Laura Kelly Fanucci is going viral for all the right reasons.

when this is over poem
Laura Kelly Fanucci / Credit: @thismessygrace

Laura's poem has been shared thousands of times on social media.

"The words came to me in the middle of the night," she told Caller Times. "Our youngest child is only 3 weeks old so I'm up with him at all hours. Everything feels darker and more frightening at night, so I started wondering what small good I could offer to people as a writer. Since then, it took on a life of its own. I've simply been sitting back and watching. Hoping it offers people some hope and comfort in such an anxious time."

Here is the poem:

"When this is over,
may we never again
take for granted
A handshake with a stranger
Full shelves at the store
Conversations with neighbors
A crowded theater
Friday night out
The taste of communion
A routine checkup
The school rush each morning
Coffee with a friend
The stadium roaring
Each deep breath
A boring Tuesday
Life itself.
When this ends
may we find
that we have become
more like the people
we wanted to be
we were called to be
we hoped to be
and may we stay
that way — better
for each other
because of the worst."