elevators

there's a calm

that rises up from fatigue

this evening i saw a woman

first thing she wanted to do was to hug me

i wish i didn't think of boundaries

but that's the way it has to be

in the middle of our conversation

the pager wails a series of beeps

i had been warned that

tonight would be the night

so the elevator slammed itself on my hand

later it would slam my shoulder

and although i raced to the door

the family left

before the body could get colder

but i knew i did what i could

collected a couple of flowers for

making some older ladies days

and the man that was

a chaplain told me today that

he's not afraid of dying

because he knows what's to come

the ICU husband

he has convinced himself that

he can care for his end term Alzheimer's wife

the one with six artificial bones

he can care for her at home

it's not all darkness

i can still can feel that hug

i can still hear that lady say

she's heard me preach

though that can't possibly be true

and the devoted husband

dapper in his hat

he calls out to me

"workin hard?"

and i say

"never"

he smiles and goes back to his wife

i have to admit

i'm attracted to the lady who came in for

a heart transplant

her faith is strong

and the tears in her eyes

make them catch every speckle of light

i look over my reports

and my pristine white chart

take a sip of my green bottle and

i know

i do this for

the love of strangers

Reviews

[Becky C Strukamp]

Inspiring write. A new kind of love and so needed! Lovely!!

[karmax]

wow! A true love is in what you do! Moving and speaking to me honestly as this does! The world needs more you's! Great penning!

[shoaib]

incredibly moving, feeling this one deeply
having worked in ERs before this is all to familiar
great job mate