Remember the face behind the mask
Remember the nurse who stepped up to the task
Remember their eyes and all they have seen
Remember our nurses and where they have been

Remember the hands and the warmth of their touch
Remember the nurse who has witnessed too much
Remember the voices with words left unspoken
Remember our nurses with their minds now left broken

Remember the parents sending their children away
Remember the nurse who had little choice but to stay
Remember their fear when they were asked to be brave
Remember our nurses working with a foot in the grave

Remember the neighbour who was too exhausted to eat
Remember the nurse staring into the face of defeat
Remember the friend who is no longer the same
Remember our nurses left thinking they are to blame

Remember being told to stay home in your safe place
Remember the nurse being told to pick up the pace
Remember the nights tucked up safe in your bed
Remember our nurses on shift who were counting the dead

Remember the virus and the lives it has taken
Remember the nurse who is now left forsaken
Remember those days with your family at home
Remember our nurses at home on their own

Remember the pressure damage caused by PPE
Remember the nurse behind the mask now has PTSD
Remember the family holidays cancelled at a cost
Remember our nurses and the time off they have lost

Remember the families of all those heroes in blue
Remember the nurses who have died – saving you
Remember now whilst you are rebuilding your life
Remember the nurses lost were someone’s husband or wife

Remember the scenes of patients survived and leaving ITU
Remember the nurses lining corridors who stood clapping for you
Remember the photographs of families when finally reunited
Remember photographs of nurses and how they’ve only just survived it

Remember us as human beings that too have mouths to feed
Remember us as people who have our own lives to lead
Remember us as warriors who gave it all we’ve got
Remember the nurses lost and forget them we shall not

Remember the country being served with the upmost accord
Remember a governments’ promise of recognition and reward
Remember the nationwide applause that were weekly praised by Boris
Remember the day he served our nurses with another broken promise

Written by Niaomi Gordon