Lucy Johnson, Health Education England Fellowship Midwife and Better Births Clinical Lead Midwife, has penned the following memorial poem to mark the Year of the Nurse and Midwife…

Now take a pause from reviewing this book
Reflect, sit quietly and take a look,
At the virtual garden to remember those lives lost
Who continued to do ‘their duty’ no matter what the cost.

Dwell on the memorial garden pages
For our friends and colleagues of all professions, race and ages
For those, this year chose not to discriminate
Taking from us those of present; to become those of ‘late’.

‘It was not their time’, ‘this is not fair’
Let us take a moment to show we care
To families and friends left behind
We are united and by their side.

A garden of tranquillity where our nurses and midwives are the flowers
A place to reflect and dwell upon the many service hours
These colleagues have spent caring for the people they serve
A place for reflection is the least they deserve.

The roses representing gratitude for all that they have done
Appreciation and admiration for the work they had begun
Sweet william flowers represent gallantry and to be brave
Courageous during this battle whilst others lives they save.

Poppies represent remembrance of a war memorial this is true
A war where dedicated colleagues continued to walk with you
Fighting for us right until the very end
A nurse, a midwife – the dearest of friend.

And the testament of the forget-me-not flower
A promise that we will never forget is well within our power
These great people never to be forgotten, how true
Their memories living on; in me and in you.

The lily with their upward facing bloom, standing tall
Stargazing ambience, sending a poignant ‘we miss you’ message to them all
There underlying symbolism as vessels of true feelings and emotion
Resembling a loss of pure commitment and devotion.

You may remember those lost when you see a butterfly
Floating gracefully in the air; in memory they will never die
For whilst we hold them in our hearts, it never really is goodbye
Now you have took a pause from reviewing this book,
Reflected, sat quietly and taken a look
At the virtual garden to remember those lives lost
We will continue to remember ‘their duty’ no matter what the cost.

Listen to this poem