A toast to the common
Everything we eat, even ramen
And cars and houses
And kitties and mouses
Cafes are great places to meet
With a friend and something sweet
I appreciate my comfy bed
And all the books I still haven’t read
Music really does bring us peace of mind
Perhaps even makes (some of) us kind
All around us most of the time
Are objects both ordinary and sublime
Few of which we make with our own hands
Many made in foreign lands
By workers toiling night and day
Often for very little pay
And somehow these things great and small
Can be found at a local store or gigantic mall
As I continue to live and breathe and take up space
I would like to offer thanks and grace
To all those unseen who endlessly labor
Far away or perhaps a neighbor
My life is mostly filled with ease
Due to the effort of these
Who do the work deemed “essential”
Each of them consequential
When I lay awake at night
Wondering if the world will be alright
I always appreciate the work of those folks
All those woman and children and blokes
Your work does not go unnoticed
To all of you, we are all devoted