A seedling, a baby —
the most vulnerable state.
Roots, placenta ground into mother —
wholly dependent on a magnificent caretaker.
Xylem and phloem, artery and vein —
the lifelines.
Trunk and stem, bone and muscle —
the foundation.
Bundle sheath cell, neuronal cell body —
the input and output between environment and being.
Photosynthesis in chloroplasts, vitamin D catalysts in melanocytes —
the dependency on sunlight.
Shaking of leaves and oscillation of branches, shifting of locks of hair and undulation of limbs —
the rhythmic response to outside forces.
Grandness of presence, maintenance of symbiotic relationships —
each creating its own microecosystem.
Pollination and fertilization, maturation and conception —
striving for regeneration.
Wilting of leaves, failing of organs —
each facing mortality, quickly approaching.
Decompensation and decomposition, degeneration and degradation —
we are one,
until life begins again.
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.
Contributing Writer
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Samantha is a fourth-year medical student at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, Florida class of 2022. In 2016, she graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She enjoys yoga, going to the beach, and reading in her free time. After graduating medical school, Samantha plans to pursue a career in Pediatrics.