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Open Poetry #9
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of life's battles lost
| Open Poetry #9 |
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of life's battles lost |
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hoot_owl_rn Member Patricius
since 1999-07-05
Posts 10750Glen Hope, PA USA 
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of life's battles lost loss falls in rivers echoed in the canyon of my heart noisily cascading across the rough stones of my faith wearing it into smoothness that only resolution brings bloody gauze litters floor defacing the white sterility like battle scars their mark signifies this wars brutality as the grim metal of armored machine glistens mockingly trumpets charges now silent and quiet resounds in the air the beating drums before robust now placid and ominous the doctors and nurses like soldiers geared in armaments their uniforms of blue scrubs and hats of paper relinquish their fight to begin another until in a muted cry of anguish from the living death is borne and wide mouthed and ashen your silent screams are mirrored by loud screams of my own there is only one body to bury but today two lives have died What lies behind us and lies before us are small matters compaired to what lies within us. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| © Copyright 2000 Ruth Kephart - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Paula Finn Member Ascendant
since 2000-06-17
Posts 5546missouri |
This is a heartwrenching look at everyday events in a nurses(and doctors) life...we only see them when something is wrong so we tend to forget they see US ten times over, and then some. Hooray to you |
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hoot_owl_rn Member Patricius
since 1999-07-05
Posts 10750Glen Hope, PA USA |
Thanks Paula I guess perhaps I need to add a brief explanation on this one just incase it's a bit too elusive....this poems deal with the birth of a still born infant, the beating drums are the sounds of the fetal monitor [This message has been edited by hoot_owl_rn (edited 08-14-2000).] |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
Ruth, this is totally amazing hon, very heartbreaking, sadly and beautifully written.... especially this .... mouthed and ashen your silent screams are mirrored by loud screams of my own there is only one body to bury but today two lives have died |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
Very well written, Ruth. I can feel the agony in the words. Heartbreaking. Denise |
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BloomingRose Member Elite
since 2000-08-09
Posts 3092Florida |
Ruth, Sad but well written with heartfelt anguish. Debra |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Ruth--This is heart renching and a vivid paint... |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Oh Ruth ... so incredibly well written, lined with such sadness and remorse. I applaud those who have the ability to carry on daily in such difficult professions. Beautifully penned!  Best wishes, /Kit |
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Lone Wolf Member Ascendant
since 2000-03-16
Posts 5842Lansing, MI USA |
Ruth, So haunting is the picture you paint here. Great description and images my friend. Well done. LW Poetry should surprise by fine excess...it should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts and appear almost a remembrance. -J.Keats |
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AVANTI Senior Member
since 2000-02-02
Posts 664INDIA/MAHARASHTRA/PUNE |
Ruth... This was too painfull it was deep,dark,true,sad and above all but you've written very well it keeps coming back If I should fall again, then they will laugh but what if just this one I rise? Avanti Rao |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Hoot Owl you have given us a taste of the pain that is felt by those that see the battle for life lost...excellent writing...James |
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Wilfred Yeats Member Elite
since 2000-08-04
Posts 2704Wilmington, Delaware |
You explained in the beginning re- in some ways I'm glad you did - in others - not sure. Let me tell you just two of the thoughts that ran through my head as I read: first - a vision of a M.A.S.H. unit, the horrors of battle and those the nurses, Drs and medics must face second - I saw a parallel being drawn to a relationship where one learns of the other's death No young death is ever unmourned - and I've known all my life I was/am unsuited to work in a hospital in any capacity- nonetheless - I've always been drawn to nurses - I think I can say that one of the biggest 'loves' I've known was a nurse - who found herself ultimately in AA & NA - and ... married another AA. - but that is another story. |
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hoot_owl_rn Member Patricius
since 1999-07-05
Posts 10750Glen Hope, PA USA |
Thank you everyone, sometimes poems like this need to find their way out through my pen....I think perhaps much better than keeping all of this inside. Somedays I have the most wonderful job on the face of the earth...bringing new lives into the world, but when death invades a place where only life should be, it makes mine a job I wouldn't wish on anyone. Wilfred....interesting take you had on this, I wish now I wouldn't have revealed what it was and let people guess on their own, but I think the lines "from the living death is borne and wide mouthed and ashen your silent screams are mirrored by loud screams of my own" would have given it away anyway. I can understand your not wanting to go into medicine in the same way I can understand my not wanting to go into other fields. I think I was born a nurse and really had no choice in the matter in the long run. God graced me with enough compassion to last 10 lifetimes and in my field, that's a wonderful thing |
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Corinne Member Ascendant
since 1999-10-28
Posts 5167state of confusion |
An outpouring from your kind heart, Ruth. Corinne |
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