Poem: Friday Night in ICU
March 18, 2009 by John Hewitt
Friday Night in ICU
The scabs in the corner of her mouth
Are staring to heal
Underneath the thick white topical cream
When her eyes focus she sees me
I smile and she raises her eyebrows
The trachea tube in her neck
Moves slightly with each breath
And condensation collects inside
Her heart rate hovers at seventy
Her blood pressure is high but steady
No major peaks or valleys tonight
Her kidneys are back at work now
I watch her Foley bag fill
Calculating the difference over the past hour
She is fifty pounds of water lighter
Than just two weeks ago
When she looked like a pale Samoan
Her eyes too swollen for the nurse to force open
Now she looks something like herself
As she stares at me staring at her
Until she tires and closes her eyes
Sleeping for the rest of my time here
I keep watching
– J.C. Hewitt
Related links
- Poem -- The Days Before (0.500)
- Poem -- Driving Down (0.500)
- Poem -- The First Day (0.500)
- Poem -- Thanksgiving (0.500)
- Poem: Nurse Sunshine and the Drama Queen (0.500)
Contact John Hewitt
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Email: hewitt@poewar.comPhone: (520) 261-6104
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Just wanted to come out of lurkdom to say how much I’ve been enjoying your poetry. I think anyone who has ever lost/come close to losing someone can relate to the raw emotion conveyed in each poem. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Thank you for your comment. This is a strong subject for me.
You’re reminding me of hospital visits to my own mother, and to a close friend who had cancer. It’s powerful poetry, John, and I’m glad that at least you have that release. It’s more than a release, of course – the ability to create art gives us something positive to do with every experience and a way to honour the lives of our loved ones. Poets are blessed!