Impact

 

Stories circle our world, this global community.

 

The girl at the station smiles wide

at the stranger. Stemming for a blink

the tears streaming down their cheeks.

Love left on another bus, her heart breaks.

But in time she remembers the smile, and

says there is hope, in a world that feels dark.

 

The busker strumming a long-forgotten

song, that reminds the old man

of a lost loved one.

And in the ringing of a chord,

the image of their smile sits in his eyes.

 

The boy holding a rose for the girl

he loves. She shyly smiles and kisses

his cheek. He burns roses onto his own skin

and sees a wave of future tides.

 

The nurse holding the hand

of the lone patient - no friends or family

to speak, taking their last

breath. The nurse holding back

their own grief, to gift

dignity and respect.

 

The blood donor who saves

a child miles away, and the

parent who had given up hope.

The child grows to become

a doctor, saving many lives of her own.

The parent full of pride believes in the world again.

 

The teacher that inspires the mind

of the lost child to find stories

in the worlds of dusty school textbooks.

He says, “One day I'll be a writer,”

and in time finds his pen.

 

The neighbour knocking a door in winter,

to offer warming conversation

and a trip to the local store.

The first face they had seen in weeks.

 

The librarian that points out tales

that the reader would find full of wonder,

as they devour book after book,

finding meaning in the tales

hidden underneath the main storylines.

 

The poet that shares the love of the word

with a classroom of children that think

they have no allies in this world.

Inspiring them to see what they can become.

To show that there is always a loving arm

to place around everyone.

 

The community leader who plans a festival,

bringing together people from near and far

to smile and share awareness and joy.

 

The mother who struggles to gather her thoughts

as the child plays on her mind every day.

 

The seedlings of stories, birthed into

a new day fall and land, to grow

into a new tree. The stone thrown

into the sea. Each impact creates

ripples as important as any other.