My name is Amoaba Gooden. My pronouns are she, her, and hers. And I wrote my poem as an offer of hope to my community, to my family, and to myself. Here is my poem:
Dear Vaccine
Dear vaccine, thank you.
Thank you in advance
for providing hope and possibilities.
Thank you for pushing back
against death, mourning and despair.
Thank you for healing.
Thank you for saving.
Thank you for life.
Dear vaccine, thank you for listening
to the struggle of the people,
for hearing the voice of humanity,
for giving me time –
time to love,
time to hold,
time to hug.
Dear vaccine, thank you for allowing me
to re-enter the world,
not as I was before,
but with much resolve:
with more faith,
with more fight,
and with more hope.
Dear vaccine, thank you for traveling the earth.
Thank you for opening up the future
to the children of the world,
to my children,
to us all.