rivers of blood
dried
by formaldehyde
our gloved fingers
trace the path
they used to flow
the smell of
excitement and
anxiety
diffuses across the lab
we tug, pull,
slice, snip
saw through bone
never realized how
destructive this would be
but we remember
the purpose
of all this breaking down
is building up our knowledge
I look down and
a classmate whispered
our first patient
tattoos
tufts of hair
surgical incisions
wrinkles
pieces of him remain
showing only a snapshot
of seventy years
he teaches
without saying a word
hours pass
daylight wanes
we exit
talk about dinner plans
talk about school
talk about the weekend
life goes on
as we zip the bodies up again
did we already forget
they used to live among
the land of the living?
but I linger behind
I do not want to forget
here is my prayer of gratitude
just to be here
in this moment
alive
Contributing Writer
Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University
Anna Delamerced is a fourth-year medical student at Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island class of 2021. She graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in public health. She enjoys writing poetry and is passionate about advocating for kids as a future pediatrician.