The second patient of the day

[Isagel]

She asks
Would I be offended
If she takes the wig off?

The light is white
naked
like the skin on her head

Are you sitting comfortably?
Will you repeat after me:
Runner-pilot-song
We are assessing the damage done
Cinnamon –sky- lamp
Hope smells like disinfectant

Later we will
talk about the children
and the pain.
She will say
Pain is good,
Because I´m still alive.

But now
we follow the procedure like a prayer.
Words rolling
Back and forth
Like rythm
Like waves

She and me,
in the white bright light

I remember her hair.

In the evening
when I shower
I remember all of them
and now
pain rolls in,
and pain is good
because I´m still alive.


(If anyone comes up with a better title I´m most grateful. )

[den]

I love this below quoted part Isagel, this is a very warm poem. A good study of contrasts of pain and warmth, interesting.


and now
pain rolls in,
and pain is good
because I´m still alive.

Oh and I love marzipan too ;)

[Isagel]

Thank you, that was exactly what I was hoping!

This is really me trying to give a picture of the research work I did at a cancerclinic. Although the woman is of course made up (would not betray my patients) I think she is the compiled image of all of them , and the strength of the people I met. I was hoping to show the warmth thats there, in the hospital, amongst evrything that seems cold and sterile.

And yes - marzipan is good...

[Sindhu]

[quote="Isagel"]

She will say
Pain is good,
Because I´m still alive.

When I shower
I remember all of them
and now
pain rolls in,
and pain is good
because I´m still alive.


I thought I HAD already replied to this- talk about getting absent minded. Obviously it's clear that I think the lines quoted above are great! The contrast/comparison between the patient's physical pain and your realization that to be alive is mental pain is !!!!. And I really like the imagery in"Hope smells like a disinfectant". And the "conversation"- " We follow the routine like a prayer-" Excellent because it so presicely pinpoints the pointlessness.

I don't really see anything wrong with yourtitle, but I do have one in mind and I'll PM you, see if you like it!

[Isagel]

[quote="Sindhu"] The contrast/comparison between the patient's physical pain and your realization that to be alive is mental pain is !!!!. ....quote]

But, but... you get my poem better than I get it myself! I think that was what I was trying to show, but I could not find words like that. Suddenly the experience makes more sense to me.Thanks.

Now I off to see what title you might have come up with!

[sloegin]

Hope smells like disinfectant
That's great.

[Sindhu]

[But, but... you get my poem better than I get it myself!
As a reader of poetry, that's probably the greatest compliment I've received in my life! Thanks, Isagel! (Now I'd better go and cool off my blushes!)

[rocksea]

And the "conversation"- " We follow the routine like a prayer-" Excellent because it so presicely pinpoints the pointlessness.


i don' think itz pointless! really!
along with the pain,
itz the conversation that sees her thru,
whether it is routine n like a prayer
atleast she's chanting something.

in our so called 'long-life' (w.r.to this lady)
aint we doing the same thing,
babbling out something
going thru the routine, rotting everyday cycle?? :P

and Isagel, itz great
that u came to know abt ur existence!!
many of us, cant!
let the pain roll in
so that i know
i'm still alive :)

[Isagel]

let the pain roll in
so that i know
i'm still alive

That was good.
Mmm. Perhaps I should steal it...
;)

I think that the routine, the wordlist, in itself is pointless. But still we create meaning between us, in the moment we share. In her keeping the pain at bay and me when I get close to understand how her life is.

And yes, I think it´s great too. It is a gift they gave me. I´m so very gratefull to all of them. I hope I gave them something as precious in return.

And thank you for reading my poem.

[Koa]

Hope smells like disinfectant
That's great.

I agree. Strong and fitting.

I love the poem, really :)