Poem: "Exposed" by Corona

Update (Feb 2022): Sarah Bourns Crosby began writing poetry during the pandemic. After sharing a poem with us in 2020, she went on to publish her Pandemic Prayers and Poetry book in 2021. Learn more about her book at sarahbourns.com!

Hope for New York recently began weekly prayer sessions on Instagram Live. On April 7, we hosted a Holy Tuesday morning Q&A and prayer with Sarah Bourns Crosby, Pastor of Mission and Formation at Hope Midtown. Sarah also read a poem she wrote about being exposed (in many ways) by COVID-19. Read her poem below.

We’ve all been exposed.
Not necessarily to the virus
(though maybe...who knows).
We’ve all been exposed BY the virus.

Corona is exposing us.
Exposing our weak sides.
Exposing our dark sides.
Exposing what normally lays far beneath the surface of our souls,
hidden by the invisible masks we wear.
Now exposed by the paper masks we can’t hide far enough behind.

Corona is exposing our addiction to comfort.
Our obsession with control.
Our compulsion to hoard.
Our protection of self.

Corona is peeling back our layers.
Tearing down our walls.
Revealing our illusions.
Leveling our best-laid plans.

Corona is exposing the gods we worship:
Our health
Our hurry
Our sense of security.
Our favorite lies
Our secret lusts
Our misplaced trust.

Corona is calling everything into question:
What is the church without a building?
What is my worth without an income?
How do we plan without certainty?
How do we love despite risk?

Corona is exposing me.
My mindless numbing
My endless scrolling
My careless words
My fragile nerves.

We’ve all been exposed.
Our junk laid bare.
Our fears made known.
The band-aid torn.
The masquerade done.

So what now? What’s left?
Clean hands
Clear eyes
Tender hearts.

What Corona reveals, God can heal.

Come Lord Jesus.
Have mercy on us.

Follow Sarah on Instagram @sarahbourns.