Poem

 RavenousThe earth does what it can to heal itselfIt has its own bag of tricks An assortment of medicinal potionsThat used to always work.Atmospheric ice crystals eventuallyGlom together into thick fluttering flakesThat coalesce into warm cottony blanketsFor a trembling world gone frail and meatlessNothing but skin and bones down here,Old boy, god help us all,Stripped down towns, liens and defaulted loansRusted out stamping plants with vast Empty parking lots stubbled with tufts of grass.Disappointed mothers, defeated fathers, Angry offspring who never visit or callHigh deductible health care plansCar in the shop again Bitten down fingernailsAlcohol and pain pills,Pantries stacked with tin cans of tuna Mass death, mass delusionEveryone on their very last nerveA bankruptcy of decencyAnd so it snows.Let it all fall downIn layers coveringBare trees shivering in the wind like ribsArching over the wan tepid heart of the world.A white salve to the yellow brown scabs Pocking a land gone sallow and cachecticWith widely metastatic diseaseOf an unknown origin.But the snow is a transient balmThe snow never lasts When the spring comesAnd the snowpack melts The ravenous world wakes,Hungry enough to eat what ’s left of itself2/8/22

Source: Buckeye Surgeon - February 8, 2022 Category: Surgery Authors: Jeffrey Parks MD FACS Source Type: blogs