This house was once full of life
Layers of warmth and affection.
A fireplace, the heart of all
Keeping life.
From its inception and foundation.
Strength reverberated through every layer.
The laughs of children it had heard
The tapping of dancing feet
It had been a home.
As time unwound itself,
The house aged.
Voices faded away.
Hinges creaked.
Doorknobs rolled afar.
Even stairwells began to crumble.
And yet the house stood tall.
While the inside changed decade by decade
The façade was old, grand
A brave warrior standing the test of time.
When finally one day,
The fireplace was lit no more.
There was no warmth spreading outwards.
The balcony windows that usually sparkled in sunshine
Now stood closed.
The blinds elegantly drawn.
The house finally greeted death.
As an accomplice
To adventures yet to be embarked on!
Ever giving,
This house then became our haven.
Layer by layer discovering this age-old home.
We realize dissection is a form of creation
Creating lasting impressions on our malleable minds.
This house gave us answers
Lit our minds and sparked curiosity
Blew us away with the selflessness it had
To make the decision to lie with us today.
You are the home we built ourselves a niche in.
A place where learning is craved
And you provide.
A place where wonder and curiosity are fed
And expectations surpassed.
A place to question
Where you give us the answers.
Through your life, you were home to a soul
Depicting bravery of a unique nature
Chivalry of an immense quantum
And foresight beyond one’s wildest speculation.
But through your death
You became home to inspiration.
Home to wisdom, awe and respect
Home to exhilaration, excitement, erudition.
A home where warmth may no longer be felt
Because of a beating heart
But instead by an eternal quest for knowledge.
Author’s note: This is a spoken word poem acknowledging and thanking those who donated their bodies to science.
Contributing Writer
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Diva is now an Internal Medicine Trainee in London, UK. Her interests include acute medicine, cardiology and stroke medicine. Beyond this she is an avid reader, writer, swimmer and has a musical background in piano and vocals.
