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Cadence
by Olivia Martin
the sound of rhythmic monotones
and re-visions of thready pulses
lingering in the wafts
of bleach-cleansed corridors
still make my insides shudder
counting breathes in steed
with the constant beat
of the pastel animations
streaming across the monitor
I felt my own heart tremor
as I guarded her vitals
willing the numbers
not to falter
in those moments
I bargained with religion
exchanging my soul
for I.V. intervention
hoping that God
would be miracle drug
that kept her rhythm
synchronized
01/26/2010 Author's Note: it's still rough but was acting more as therapy than poetry; although recently they are one in the same.
Posted on 01/27/2010
Copyright © 2024 Olivia Martin
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Michael Smith on 01/27/10 at 07:19 AM Cool, you're a nurse! Possibly ICU? Either way, such a tough job, I can imagine... Anyway, this is excellent! I felt the stress, as this reads very smoothly but quickened my pulse. And it really puts us in the environment as it is so well-described. The last stanza is my fave. Thanks for sharing this with us, Olivia.
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| Posted by Gabriel Ricard on 01/27/10 at 02:58 PM I'd say therapy is being very, very good to you. This is excellent. |
| Posted by Therese Elaine on 01/27/10 at 05:52 PM This is a piece that really manages to draw the reader into a part of your world, it allows the curtain to lift on the deeply personal relationship of patient to nurse and nurse to profession and nurse to god...you have one of the hardest jobs in the world -but you still manage to craft this with an ease that is inspiring. |
| Posted by Nicole D Gregory on 02/12/10 at 06:24 PM This brought me back to my past life as an EMT-P/Firefighter doing clinicals... the smell, the stark lighting, and the terror of an 8/12/24/48 -hour shift. The crepe-paper skin is what always terrified me... realizing how fragile a person is when "breaking" the skin. Your use of therapy with this piece is very memorable. ~N |
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