A Doctor’s Poem On Delivering Bad News

I walk slowly into the room and see her sitting there,
She looks me directly in the eye.
I can see hers are full of fear.
She smiles then blurts “Am I going to die?”

I pause and offer a shallow smile,
My heart slows and I wish that I could easily lie.
I sit down because I know this talk will take awhile,
I draw in a breath and start while letting out a sigh.

“I don’t know when”, I honestly say,
But she sees the bad news and starts to cry.
In my heart, I silently pray:
“Please help those tears run dry”.

I offer a tissue and give her a hug,
She said she felt it in her heart,
She sits back and smiles and offers a shrug.
I suddenly wonder if I am really so smart.

I say, “It is a malignant tumor in the brain,
But, let’s not lose hope”.
I feel my bravado slowly go down the drain,
I give her the referral and help her to cope.

We sit and we chat of her beautiful child,
I answer all of her questions as well as I am able.
She smiles and leaves, her reaction quite mild,
I let out my breath and weep as I lay my head on the table.

Is she going to die?
Her gravest fear,
The answer to which I didn’t reply,
Yes, your death is probably quite near.

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2 thoughts on “A Doctor’s Poem On Delivering Bad News

  1. This poem is trite. I think you would have done much better to just write a reflective essay and not make it hokey with the rhyming scheme.

    1. kris / anak saya umurnya 4 bulan, berat badan 7,5 kg, tinggi badan 62. apakah anak saya ini termasuk kategori anak gemuk atau tidak ? trus susu yang cocok buat bayi umur 4 bulan dan tidak bikin keugkeman sebaiknya pakai yg apa?mohon sarannya. Terima kasih.

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