Our dreams strewn across barren land —
fractured communities, little love, who are we?
We dissolve into bitterness, this virus feasts —
its appetite leaves despair.
(Only a biologic phenomenon, yet I take it personally)
Some days, I only feel disillusion of the soul
that yearns for bear hugs, game nights, Nana’s pecan pie.
Masked cheeks give away strangers’ smiles.
Here we are, looking for ripe avocados, together.
Silent gratitude for a moment shared.
We feel this ache, this suffering.
We are each other.
Image credit: Schanzengraben (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by maekke
Poetry Thursdays is an initiative that highlights poems by medical students. If you are interested in contributing or would like to learn more, please contact our editors.
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus (2020-2021) and Former Managing Editor (2019-2020)
Emergency Medicine Resident, UC Davis Medical Center
Sam is an emergency medicine resident at UC Davis Medical Center. He attended the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, graduating in 2021. In 2017, he graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry. He enjoys reading, writing, yoga, skiing and rock climbing in his free time.
Note: The opinions expressed by Sam on in-Training are his own. They do not reflect the opinion of the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.