What happened to you?
I don’t remember
Did it hurt?
Yes boy, oh yes
How do you feel about this place?
The table is cold
Did you know what we’d do to you?
I did not, I did not
That we’d peel the skin from your hands?
My wife was just holding them
That we’d tear your face in two?
There were tears on these cheeks
I wanted to thank you.
I hope to God you learned something
Do you believe in God?
I miss my wife
Where are you now?
I hope I’m with God
Poetry Thursdays is a weekly newsletter that highlights poems by medical students and physicians. This initiative is led by Slavena Salve Nissan at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. If you are interested in contributing, please contact Slavena.
Contributing Writer
SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
Gabe is a first year medical student at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, New York. In 2017, he graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Gabe is interested in the power of narrative medicine and reflective writing for patients and providers, and in his free time, he enjoys reading, writing, poetry, playing basketball, and exploring the city. After he graduates medical school, Gabe hopes to pursue a residency in internal medicine and eventually become a clinical educator.