Another Night Shift

The sun is shining in the horizon
You made it through another night shift
Your face is bruised from wearing goggles and mask
You sit in the car fighting back tears
There were ten codes ten
You wore the same mask the entire shift
what good is this paper bag
One loop broke but you stapled it back
Everything is running out
They say a truck is coming tomorrow
Please let there be a truck
All you see is hallways full of patients with the same symptoms
They need test
where are the tests
People say the numbers are inflamed but you know they are under-reported
You are still waiting on test results from a week ago
You are still waiting to see if you test positive
You start the car and head home
The tears come again
An image flashes of another patient dying alone
Then you worry if your family will be infected
Are you infected
You make it home in time for breakfast.
You strip at the door toss the clothes in the washer
You head to the shower
You can’t hug your kids or your spouse
You can ‘t sit at the table or talk about your day
You head to your makeshift bedroom in the basement
and you eat alone
You hear of people dreading being with their kids
You would give anything to be with yours
You collapse from exhaustion
You wake up and you dread that 7:00 is almost here
Now you have to go back to war with an unseen enemy
Now you have to fight it with little PPE
Now you have to face another shift and do it all again