When the Dust Settles

At Johns Hopkins Medicine, we believe that arts can be instrumental in helping us process and make meaning of our experiences, and feelings of grief and loss. Participating in collaborative, creative activities fosters connection, community and well-being. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/joy-a...

Robin Lewis-Cherry, MSN, RN (Poet) is a Nurse Manager at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Robin, who writes poetry as a form of creative relaxation, composed “When the Dust Settles” as a reflection on the challenges and lessons from living and working through the pandemic. Robin shared her poem with her nursing colleagues as a way to honor their courage, commitment, sacrifices and resilience.


Brian Garibaldi, MD (Composer and Guitarist) is the Director of the Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit. Brian and his team cared for the first COVID-19 patients at Johns Hopkins, experiencing the fear and uncertainty of a new infectious disease. After reading “When the Dust Settles”, Brian was inspired to compose an original piece of music to accompany Robin’s poem.