Sunday, January 16, 2011

Patience for my Patients

This is not any love song,
nor any psalm, for me.

A 20-something’s rush to the office store,
replace the paper to write a score.
A truck turns, and broad-sides his legs,
rescuers drag him, footless and burning,
not to sing, not to beg.
Not a love song, nor a psalm
…..of a poet - not better off dead.

In a still, lone bed of a rural ICU
a patient with a lung-implant
gasps a poem I do not know.
The Rag is passed and the new ear listens.
Is it a better love song or psalm
sought after the author's gone?

From a month spent in coma from a stroke:
springs one man, with one wife,
a universe-city of students, twin boys full of life,
to teach, to talk, to hug, to walk,
to reach:
only one-armed not,
but for a love song, and a psalm for all.

She cuts on her arm, not for physical pain,
but release of heart’s balm on her psychic longing,
of a new moment dawning,
again…not better off dead.

Not that I cannot live without you,
today.
But knowing I can see you again
tomorrow,
is a love song
and a psalm
for a better-off day.

6 comments:

  1. oh man...heavy poem...hope the person is alright...the cutting, ugh way too common these days it seems...there is probably a lot of anger over the accident and the repurcussions...

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  2. Fab Di!!!!!!
    Dark yet hopeful...
    Nice to see you out and about.
    Some folks miss you....G

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  3. This is perfect! It communicates well both the narrators voice and the images of the people in her care extremely strongly. It is not a bummer as much as a slice of real life. Like it A LOT Dianne. The title as well is so appropriate to the narrative voice. Now I think you are seeing poetry everywhere you look.

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  4. "She cuts on her arm, not for physical pain,
    but release of heart’s balm on her psychic longing,
    of a new moment dawning,
    again…not better off dead." - you paint such vivid pictures of not only a physical character, but their souls, too. And it hurts...

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  5. Dianne, an incredibly deep and resonating poem. There is so much to consider here, but mostly the question, "Is it a better love song or psalm
    sought after the author's gone?"

    And it seems your answer is that as long as we have today, there is chance, opportunity, hope. I agree.


    Gorgeous writing here, Dianne.

    xo
    erin

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