Long ago, walking to school in St. Paul, MN,
we kids would hear an ambulance siren
and say Hail Marys to keep the victims safe.

Today protesters seeking justice are lifted
into a storm as I lounge in the basement
watching the Downton Abby marathon,

while our son views gardening videos and plays
board games with college friends in the garage,
as our astronauts arrive at the space station,

as a NYC chef feeds 275,000 people in India,
and as my husband listens to a 2018 Reds game.
Our choir has gone quiet, no need

for us to skip the tricky notes or try to sing tall.
We look for other ways to refresh our faith.