Hollis Kurman
For those who take our midnight calls who cry
who seek our voice in the dark who imagine
who create who connect who listen who swab
who run back into the fire for us who poke
through rubble who turn off the lights in the lab
Let us pray
For those who scan and stack who make us laugh
who look into our eyes who make us forget
who feed us who bleed and breathe for us
who tell our stories for us who take us
to breast who sing to us who purr and slow blink
who wag and bark for us when we open the door
who say here take mine for I have enough
who give us the dignity of work when there is
none
who give us reason to get up
who remind us of when
who remind us
Let us rise
and take
3
steps
back
Hollis Kurman is contributing Editor at Barrow Street Books. Her poems, one nominated for a Pushcart Prize, have been published and/or forthcoming in multiple journals, including Barrow Street, Rattle, Phoebe, the Ocean State Review, VIA (Voices in Italian Americana), Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine, Global Poemic, Lilith, Carmina Magazine, and Scoundrel Time.
Hollis also writes for children. Her début picture book, ‘Counting Kindness: Ten Ways to Welcome Refugee Children’ (Charlesbridge) will have been published in ten countries in 2020-22. The book is endorsed by Amnesty International, was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal (UK) 2021 and the DC Libraries Association 3 Stars Award and won a Northern Lights Award. A follow-up book, ‘Counting in Green: Ten Little Ways to Help Our Big Planet’, will be published in 2023.
In addition to her writing, she serves on the Board of Trustees of Save the Children Netherlands, the Human Rights Watch Global Advisory Council for Women’s Rights, and the Fulbright Commission NL Board. Hollis is also Chairperson of the Ivy Circle and moderates literary events. She lives in Amsterdam and can be found online at https://www.holliskurman.com